Member sign-in
  • Leadership
    • imageBackLeadershipExplore Moreimage
  • Sustainability
    • imageBackSustainabilityExplore Moreimage
    • Material StewardshipExplore Moreimage
    • Blood Lead ProgramExplore Moreimage
    • Life Cycle AssessmentExplore Moreimage
  • Research
    • imageBackResearchExplore Moreimage
  • Events
    • imageBackEventsExplore Moreimage
  • Members
    • imageBackMembershipExplore Moreimage
  • Resources
    • imageBackResourcesExplore Moreimage
  • About Us
    • imageBackAbout UsExplore Moreimage
    • TeamsExplore Moreimage
  • News
    • imageBackSee news dashboardExplore Moreimage
    • Affordable energy storage for Europe Explore Moreimage
    • It’s a plan, but it doesn’t go far enough Explore Moreimage
    • Pb2025 programme gauges global impact of political and economic challenges  Explore Moreimage
image image
image image
Member sign-in

ILA to join international review of battery recycling standards

Published on 27th June, 2022

An international environmental body which oversees the safe global management of chemicals and waste has agreed to review and update the guidelines for responsibly recycling lead batteries. 

By Irene Fuentes

ILA’s special adviser Brian Wilson (pictured above) attended the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Basel Convention in Geneva which discussed the need to  update the existing technical guidelines for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of used lead batteries..

The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions are multilateral environmental agreements for the sound management of wastes.

At the COP, which was attended by more than 1500 delegates from  200 countries, it was agreed that a special technical group will be established to review and update the guidelines. 

The group will also review the need to introduce and prepare guidelines for responsibly recycling other battery technologies. 

The Basel convention’s secretariat approved ILA’s request to nominate Brian Wilson to provide technical assistance to the working group. 

Speaking after the meeting Brian Wilson said: “There was universal support for the request to update the technical guidance for lead battery recycling. And the technical contact group also noted differences between batteries in terms of their management, recycling and safe disposal including the fact that technologies for disposing of, or recycling lithium-ion batteries are still emerging.”

Dr Steve Binks, ILA Regulatory Affairs Director said: “This is an important part of our ongoing commitment to safe and responsible battery recycling in low and middle-income countries. The Basel technical guidelines are the recognised standard and ILA will now contribute to updating them.”

ILA has joined the Protecting Every Child’s Potential initiative alongside UNICEF and Pure Earth, to support efforts to reduce the impact of unsafe lead battery recycling in low and middle-income countries. 

In the Media

10 April, 2025
Blogs

Affordable energy storage for Europe

Read moreimage
20 March, 2025
News

It’s a plan, but it doesn’t go far enough

Read moreimage
17 March, 2025
News

Pb2025 programme gauges global impact of political and economic challenges 

Read moreimage
View all Posts image
  • Leadership
  • Sustainability
  • Research
  • Events & Conferences
  • About us
    • Teams
  • Membership

Subscribe to our newsletter and get the latest updates

Contact Us

International Lead Association, 120 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6XX

Tel:T: +44 (0)20 7833 8090 Email:E: [email protected]

  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy notice
  • Cookies
  • Terms Conditions
  • Privacy Notice
  • Cookies

© Copyright 2025

Membership enquiry

If you would like to know more about becoming a member of ILA please complete the following form:

    Newsletter
    Sign up

    Subscribe to our newsletter and get the latest updates

      We use cookies and similar technologies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features, and for website analytics. Please indicate whether you accept our use of these cookies from the options available below. If you reject cookies, we will still set cookies that are strictly necessary for our website to function.I acceptClick here to see more details in our full Cookie Notice