2023-07-13 10:53:01
The European Union has approved a new regulation with specific objectives to improve the production, use, treatment and recycling of batteries and make them easier to remove and replace in order to address social and environmental risks in the member countries of the organization. .
The revision of the standards will take into account technological advances and future challenges, will cover the entire life cycle of batteries, from design to the end of their useful life and will apply to all types of batteries sold in the EU, including those used in electric or electrified vehicles.
“At the end of their useful life, batteries contain many valuable resources and we must be able to reuse these critical raw materials instead of depending on third countries for supplies,” said the Third Vice President and Minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera.
The regulation establishes targets for producers to collect portable battery waste -63% by the end of 2027 and 73% by the end of 2030-, and introduces a specific collection target for used batteries for light means of transport -51% at the end of 2028 and 61% at the end of 2031-.
Likewise, it establishes a target for the recovery of lithium from used batteries of 50% by the end of 2027 and 80% by the end of 2031, which can be modified through delegated acts depending on the market and technological advances and the availability of lithium. .
Mandatory minimum levels of recycled content for industrial batteries will also be required and are initially set at 16% for cobalt, 85% for lead, 6% for lithium and 6% for nickel. Meanwhile, the recycling efficiency target for nickel-cadmium batteries is set at 80% by the end of 2025 and 50% by 2025.
Three and a half years after the legislation went into effect, portable batteries in household appliances must be designed so that consumers can easily remove and replace them.
To better inform consumers, the batteries will carry labels and QR codes with information related to their capacity, performance, durability, chemical composition, as well as the ‘selective collection’ symbol.
LMT batteries, industrial batteries with a capacity greater than 2 kWh and EV batteries will also need to have a ‘digital battery passport’ which includes information on the battery model as well as specific information on the individual battery and its usage.
In addition, all economic operators placing batteries on the EU market, except SMEs, will have to develop and implement the so-called “due diligence policy”, in line with international standards, to address social and environmental risks related to sourcing. , processing and marketing of raw materials.
Based on this agreement, the regulation will be signed by the Council and the European Parliament and will then be published in the Official Journal of the EU to enter into force 20 days later.
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