EU batteries regulation given the go ahead

The European Parliament and Council have reached agreement on new batteries regulations which are expected to be formally approved and come into force in the Spring of 2023.

The aim of the regulations is to ensure all batteries placed on the EU market are more sustainable, adopt circular economy principles and are safe. The agreement builds on the initial proposals from December 2020 addressing the social, economic and environmental impact of all types of batteries.

An EU spokesperson confirmed that all collected batteries have to be recycled and high levels of recovery have to be achieved, in particular of valuable materials – including lead. In Europe lead batteries are already one of the most recycled products as all collected batteries are fully recycled at the end of their life. And up to 85 per cent of new lead batteries produced in Europe include recycled materials.

Once the new EU batteries law enters into force, sustainability requirements on carbon footprint, recycled content and performance and durability will be introduced gradually from 2024 onwards, however much of the detailed requirements are still to be agreed through secondary legislation.