The Stratford-upon-Avon-based firm is offering a “battery pre-compliance scheme” which provides information to help members understand what will be expected when the EU Batteries Directive is implemented into UK law in September 2008.
Under the directive, the UK will need to collect 25% of household batteries for recycling by 2012, which is massive leap from the estimated 3% which are recycled at the moment and this service will be funded by battery producers (see letsrecycle.com story) .
Although it is not yet clear how the targets will be met, the battery pre-compliance service provides a forum for companies to find out, discuss and influence the development of the regulations.
Duncan Simpson, marketing manager at Valpak, told letsrecycle.com: “We felt it was a helpful service to provide for members and others to talk about who will be obligated under the directive and how it will be implemented, look at the pros and cons for different organisations of other European systems and to act as a forum.”
Interested
Valpak, which currently handles compliance obligations for producers of waste electronics (WEEE) and packaging, said that it may also be interested in offering a full-blown compliance scheme for batteries.
However, Mr Simpson explained that this would depend on whether there was a role for compliance schemes in the new legislation and whether there was enough demand from producers.
He said: “We will have to look a it and see if it is worthwhile to do. There is not as many businesses obligated as with packaging of WEEE, but it is extremely important to handlers and producers of batteries and we are in a unique position to offer the service.”
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