Lead batteries need lengthy exemption from ELV Directive to ensure continued investment, says ILA
International Lead Association Managing Director, Dr Andy Bush, has called for a lengthy extension to the exemption of lead batteries from the ban on lead in cars within the EU’s End-of-Life Vehicle Directive (ELV), in an interview with Metal Bulletin today.
Dr Bush’s call for an extension to the ELV exemption echoes the findings of the recently published A Review of Battery Technologies for Automotive Applications which concluded that lead batteries remain an essential application for all types of vehicle, including hybrid and electric vehicles for the foreseeable future.
The five-year exemption for lead batteries from the wider ban on lead in vehicles within the ELV Directive is due for a review in 2015, and the ILA has been working with other associations to push for a renewed exemption from the ban.
But while ILA expects to secure an extension to the exemption, Dr Bush said the main concern is how long the new exemption will last for.
Speaking to Metal Bulletin at the European Lead Battery Conference (14ELBC), being held in Edinburgh, he said: “The regulation and directive doesn’t lay down how long an exemption would be applied for – it is completely open.”.
“We will push for a lengthy extension to the ban as we don’t see a viable alternative technology in the short term, and for industries to continue to invest in the development of lead batteries and car manufactures to invest they need that certainty.”
Dr Bush added that the uncertainty over the upcoming end to the ban has not yet stalled investment and research into lead-batteries, but continuing uncertainty could start to have an impact.
“The battery and automotive industry needs to be given the confidence to invest in lead batteries,” he said, adding that ideally the exemption to the ban would last for 10 years.
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Notes to editors
About ILA
The International Lead Association is the worldwide membership body that supports companies involved in the mining, smelting, refining and recycling of lead. The ILA represents the producers of about 3 million tonnes of lead.
With offices in the UK and USA the ILA provides a range of technical, scientific and communications support and is focused on all aspects of the industry’s safe production, use and recycling of lead and helps funds bodies such as the International Lead Management Center and ILZRO.
The Lead REACH Consortium is a stand-alone project of ILA-Europe and its activities are funded by 100 member companies.ILA also supports the Advanced Lead-Acid Battery Consortium, which manages the research, development and promotion of lead-based batteries for markets such as hybrid electric vehicles, start-stop automotive systems and grid-scale energy storage applications.
About the European Lead Battery Conference (#14ELBC)
The 14th European Lead Battery Conference (14ELBC), organised by the International Lead Association (ILA), held in Edinburgh from 9-12 September 2014 is the premier Conference and Exhibition that brings together key technical, manufacturing, marketing, R&D personnel and users to discuss and examine the strategic, technical and commercial issues of greatest importance to the lead-acid battery industry today.
