Accumulator joins list of UK battery collectors

The company, which was founded in 2008 as a subsidiary of metals recycling firm KMK Recycling, began running collection services in June 2009. It is now working with WEEE producers and compliance schemes, as well as “leading” battery compliance schemes.

Providing free containers, Accumulator offers collections from retailers and businesses and will also, where possible, make collections from schools, universities and other public buildings, as well as civic amenity sites and other economic operators.

Batteries are then bulked up at one of four sites across the UK before being exported to a specialist recycling facility on the mainland, where the majority of the UK's waste portable batteries are expected to be sent for treatment (see letsrecycle.com story).

The company said it would track each consignment of batteries from their original collection point through to the final recycling point, and would provide verification to the batteries compliance schemes it worked with.

Accumulator is the second name to be added to the list of approved exporters for waste portable batteries this month, alongside Hampshire-based Green World Trading Ltd, whose approval is dated January 6 on the Environment Agency's database.

They join G&P Batteries, in Wednesbury, in the West Midlands; Loddon Recycling, who are based near Alton, in Hampshire; and, Regenerisis PLC, in Oxfordshire, all of which are also approved to treat waste portable batteries domestically.

Experience

Accumulator director Julie-Ann Adams highlighted the firm's experience from working in Ireland and its “in-depth” knowledge of the UK producer responsibility system.

“As a member of the European Battery Recyclers Association and with our experience in Ireland over the last 15 years and our in-depth knowledge and understanding of Producer Responsibility legislation and industry in the UK has given us the ability to understand the particular issues that arise when working with collection sites and compliance schemes,” she said.

“We are planning several more depots across the country, and are also actively seeking suitable premises to build a UK sortation and recycling plant later this year,” she added.

And, managing director Kurt Kyck, stressed that Accumulator was now looking to work with as many stakeholders as possible.

“We are delighted to announce our UK battery collection and recycling system, which is now fully operational and we look forward to making arrangements with many more obligated retailers and business across the UK,” he said.