Yesterday, the Environment Council held a first discussion on the Commission’s proposal for a batteries and waste batteries regulation. FEAD, the European Waste Management Association, welcomes the Council’s first remarks, reiterating it´s support to the proposed Regulation. FEAD underlines the following key points for the waste management sector:
- FEAD welcomes the Commission’s Regulation to ensure a robust implementation and level playing field across the EU for the waste management sector and the production of batteries.
- FEAD asks for an extended scope to include the batteries from light means of transport in the same collection targets, in the context of a constantly growing market for these batteries.
- Pertaining to sustainability and safety requirements, and the determination of the methodology for the calculation of the recycling performance and verification of recycled content, FEAD calls for the required rules to be set in place, and implemented before 2025, to give our sector the needed time to adapt the recovery processes accordingly.
- FEAD calls for addressing mandatory recycled content in portable batteries, and for more ambitious requirements for mandatory recycled content levels.
- Concerning the end-of-life management of portable batteries, FEAD advocates for increasing the proposed collection rates of 65 per cent in 2025 and 70 per cent in 2030. The successful return in high proportions of the material flow is a prerequisite for a truly circular economy for which all actors in the value chain must take responsibility. Higher collection targets of 80 per cent for all types of batteries are required, except for automotive batteries for which collection targets of 100 per cent should apply.
- We also strongly support the introduction of a mandatory return system, to increase the willingness to collect, and encourage the effective and safe management of critical battery flows.
Having a strong battery value chain is of strategic importance for Europe. Recycling in a safe manner is a key activity in this value chain, from both an economic and a resource point of view. Ambitious qualitative and quantitative targets will contribute to realising the circular economy.
Source: FEAD
