In the future, consumers in the EU will need to be able to replace the batteries themselves in many devices, such as mobile phones and laptops. The new requirements must be applied by 2027 at the latest, the EU states announced in Brussels on Monday. Negotiators from the Member States and the European Parliament had previously negotiated a corresponding compromise, which has now been finally confirmed.
The Federal Ministry of the Environment has announced that in the future the carbon footprint of batteries for electric vehicles and rechargeable industrial batteries must also be reported. In addition, from 2031 there will be minimum quantities for recycled lead, cobalt, lithium and nickel if, for example, batteries for electric vehicles are newly produced. Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) described the new EU rules as setting the course.
The decision is based on a proposal from the European Commission, which the authority presented in December 2020. From raw material extraction to recycling, batteries in the EU need to become more environmentally friendly. The aim is also to extend battery life and meet social and environmental standards in the extraction of important raw materials such as lithium or cobalt.
Source: Krone
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