EA battery data shows extent of UK recycling task

And, it could have to increase 2008 volumes by as much as 10 times to achieve the 25% legally-binding collection target set by the EU Batteries Directive for 2012.

The size of the task facing battery compliance schemes, and their collection partners such as councils and waste companies, was made clear as the Agency published figures showing the amount of portable batteries sold in the UK last year, based on sales data provided by producers registered for the current compliance year.

The data reveals that 44,139.69 tonnes of portable batteries were placed on the market in 2009 by the large producers who are obligated under the Batteries Regulations to fund the collection, treatment and recycling of waste portable batteries.

This means that, between them, the six registered batteries compliance schemes will need to collect 4,414 tonnes of waste portable batteries this year to meet the first non-statutory interim collection goal of 10% set by the Regulations.

The Environment Agency has previously estimated that around 1,000 tonnes of portable batteries were collected for recycling last year, and that the target for this year would require around 3,000 tonnes of batteries to be collected.

However, while the final sales figure for 2009 means that initial interim target for this year is higher than the EA had originally estimated, industry figures have previously said that their main concern in terms of reaching targets is not for 2010 and 2011 (where there is an 18% goal), but for the 25% target in 2012.

In particular, it is understood that some batteries were stockpiled from existing collections by collectors last year, in the lead up to January's introduction of the Batteries Regulations (see letsrecycle.com story).

Taking into account the 605.95 tonnes of batteries sold last year by small producers who have no obligation to fund collections (see letsrecycle.com story), if the overall amount of portable batteries remains consistent between now and 2012, then in the first full target year 11,186.41 tonnes of batteries will need to be collected.

Focus

The focus on 2012 was highlighted by Scott Butler, general manager for the ERP compliance scheme, who said: “I think that 2012 has to be the big one because it's the mandatory one”.

“At the moment you're building networks and the initial organisation should certainly deliver 10% and get you well on the way to 18%,” he added.

Mr Butler acknowledged that the fact that the market size was bigger than previously stated “probably means the challenge for UK PLC is even greater”, but stressed that “it was big anyway”.

He told letsrecycle.com that “in the main” the change wouldn't affect ERP because it was as big as it wanted to be, but suggested that it could create issues if other schemes had found their market share was bigger than expected and then had to source more batteries.

With more than one scheme operating in each area, he said: “We're taking batteries away from each other, so it could become more competitive in terms of developing networks”.

However, Mr Butler refused to blame the government or EA for underestimating the market share, noting that “everyone was surprised, so there's no-one to blame”, but he suggested it should represent more of a “mental note” to be taken into account when a similar exercise was carried out for prospective legislation in the future.

Chemistries

The EA figures reveal that, in terms of chemistries, 6,864.36 tonnes of the portable batteries put onto the market last year were lead acid, 1,963.79 tonnes were nickel cadmium and the vast majority, 35,917.49 tonnes, were made up of other chemistries.

The 'other' column is likely to include alkaline manganese batteries, which represent the largest proportion of the UK market, and are generally sent overseas for treatment (see letsrecycle.com story).