The UK regulations

The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009  came into force on 5 May 2009 and transposed into UK law the waste battery provisions of the EU Batteries Directive .

The Regulations detail requirements for waste battery collection, treatment, recycling and disposal for all battery types. They include the arrangements by which the UK intends to meet portable battery collection targets of 25% by 2012 and 45% by 2016. The regulations also affect battery distributors/retailers and waste battery collectors, recyclers and exporters.

Separate regulations  also ban the landfill or incineration of industrial and automotive batteries in Scotland from 1 January 2010.

The UK Batteries Regulations affect the following groups:

• battery producers (manufacturers and importers);
• battery compliance schemes;
• battery distributors;
• approved battery treatment operators and battery exporters.

Please use the links from this list to read about your responsibilities.

Government Guidance Notes ( 342kb) on the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 are available to help you comply with the legislation.

You can also contact a member of our Producer Compliance & Waste Shipments Unit for your area.