The EU has given the final green light to the new battery regulations.
The Council of the European Union on Monday passed a new regulation to strengthen sustainability standards so batteries have a more circular lifecycle, with recycling targets and a requirement that storage devices be removable and replaceable by the end of 2027.
“At the end of their life, batteries contain many valuable resources and we need to be able to reuse these critical raw materials rather than relying on third countries for supplies,” Spain’s Ecological Transition Minister Teresa Ribera said in a statement. who holds the rotating Presidency of the Council.
The regulation, agreed by Parliament and the Council, will apply to all batteries, including all waste from portable batteries, batteries from electric vehicles, industrial batteries, starter batteries and also batteries used in vehicles and machines, as well as batteries used for light vehicles. transport, such as electric bicycles or mopeds.
In addition, it sets 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 batteries used in light transportation — 51% by the end of 2028 and 61% by the end of 2031–.
Likewise, it sets a target for the recovery of lithium from spent batteries of 50% by the end of 2027 and 80% by the end of 2031, which may be modified through delegated acts depending on the market and technological progress and the availability of lithium. .
Mandatory minimum levels of recycled material will also be required for industrial batteries.
Three and a half years after the entry into force of the legislation, portable batteries in household appliances must be designed so that consumers can easily remove and replace them.
To better inform consumers, the batteries will have labels and QR codes with information about their capacity, performance, durability, chemical composition and the symbol ‘selective collection’.
Source: EITB
I am Mary Fitzgerald, a professional journalist and author of the Today Times Live. My specialty is in writing and reporting on technology-related topics. I have spent the last seven years extensively researching and understanding the field of technology so I can properly inform my readers about developments in this ever-evolving world.
