Registry for battery producers proves to be a success

5,000 producers have registered – thousands of tonnes of metals recovered through recycling every year

battery on a table — **Used batteries have to be disposed separately from general waste.**
Source: complize / photocase.com

Disposing of used batteries and accumulators separately from general waste – in the collection boxes at supermarkets or DIY stores, for example – helps the environment in a number of ways. Several thousand tonnes of valuable metals are recovered this way in Germany every year, which also ensures that the heavy metals which are in some batteries and accumulators do not end up in the environment. In Germany, producers are responsible for both take-back and recycling of used batteries and accumulators. Every producer must therefore record and announce his presence on the market in a register for battery producers. This provides traceability of how the producer is meeting its disposal responsibilities. The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) manages the register. UBA's President Jochen Flasbarth remarks, "The Federal Environment Agency has managed the Battery Act register for four years, and this has ensured that battery manufacturers assume responsibility for their product as concerns waste disposal." The number of producers who have declared their market presence has now reached 5,000. Although the target for the collection of portable batteries has been reached, less than half of all batteries of this type are disposed of separately.

More than 1.5 billion portable batteries were sold in Germany in 2010. They contained more than 8,000 tonnes of iron, some 5,000 tonnes of zinc, 2,000 tonnes of nickel, 200 tonnes of cadmium, six tonnes of silver and about four tonnes of mercury. These and other light and heavy metals can only be recovered if batteries are collected separately from other waste. Furthermore, separate collection ensures that heavy metals like lead, cadmium and mercury do not enter the environment. Battery producers must guarantee the collection and recycling of batteries. Any manufacturer that wishes to sell batteries in Germany must log into this register created under the Battery Act (BattG-Melderegister).

The register guarantees that batteries and accumulators that are collected separately by producers or importers are taken back and recycled. The Battery Act register was launched by UBA on 1 December 2009. The online register reflects a producer's presence on the market. The UBA as government agency operates and makes the register accessible to the public free of charge. Says Jochen Flasbarth, "We have registered the 5,000th producer. The register has proven to be an unbureaucratic tool for businesses to use. The producers and their take-back systems are a big bonus for society: metals are being recovered in large amounts, and heavy metals are not entering the environment. So, collecting batteries is worthwhile."

The law prescribes how many batteries must be taken back and recycled. At present, the various take-back systems for used portable batteries must collect at least 35 per cent of all marketed batteries; 40 per cent as of 2014. That collection rate will rise to 45 per cent in 2016. Overall, Germany has achieved annual collection rates of more than 40 per cent since 2007. Jochen Flasbarth says, "A little less than half of all batteries on the market are currently recycled. It is therefore important that operators of take-back systems increase the motivation of consumers to collect their used batteries."

The Federal Environment Agency recommends doing without batteries in the private household as their energy balance is relatively poor. It takes between 40 and 500 times more the energy to produce batteries than what they output when in use. The same is true as concerns cost: electric energy from batteries is at least 300 times more expensive than mains power. This inefficient form of energy supply is lessened in most cases by the use of accumulators instead of non-rechargeable batteries. Using accumulators instead of batteries can save about half a kilogramme of the climate gas carbon dioxide per battery service hour.

Further information

Take-back systems

According to the register established under the Battery Act, roughly 5,000 producers are active on the market, 81 per cent of whom are producers of portable batteries, 13 per cent are industrial battery manufacturers, and six per cent are vehicle battery manufacturers. The portable battery producers meet their take-back and disposal obligations through the Common Collection System of Batteries (GRS Batterien) or through one of the other take-back systems in place for battery manufacturers (REBAT, ERP Deutschland, Öcorecell).

Limit exceedances in batteries

One UBA research project which tested the heavy metal content in commercially available batteries and accumulators determined that were many limits exceedances and violations of labelling requirements. UBA published these results in May 2013.

Registry for battery producers proves to be a success | Umweltbundesamt