German government launches law to increase battery collection

In the future, municipal collection points will be obliged to take back used batteries from light vehicles such as e-bikes, e-mopeds and e-scooters in addition to used portable batteries. This is provided for in a draft law to adapt German law to the EU Battery Regulation, which the German government launched on Wednesday. According to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, the initiative is intended to help "channel the increasing proportion of batteries containing lithium into the right disposal structures". In addition, the return of used batteries to manufacturers is to be simplified, particularly regarding lithium-ion batteries.

Producers can set up and operate their own responsible organizations or participate in an existing institution, explains the Environment Ministry. Such associations "for producer responsibility" already require approval under European law and must provide a security deposit for a potential failure. The government has now regulated the details for the license and the calculation of the amount of the deposit. The mandatory deposit on starter batteries from vehicles is to be retained due to "the positive experiences made in the past". In general, the initiative is intended to create more incentives for consumers to dispose of "all batteries and electrical appliances" correctly, no matter how small.

"Due to the increased use of lithium-containing batteries in all categories, the associated risks continue to increase", the reasoning goes. Li-ion batteries in particular could easily self-ignite if damaged. The executive also wants to adopt the requirement that rechargeable batteries from electrical appliances must be replaceable. End users must be able to remove and replace them. The following applies to batteries for light vehicles: they must be able to be replaced by an independent specialist. Replacement batteries should be available for at least five years after the devices equipped with them have been placed on the market.

Mandatory collection rate remains at 50 percent until 2026

Special rules apply to smartphones and tablets. The ecodesign requirements give manufacturers a choice: they can either design mobile devices in such a way that users can replace the battery themselves. Batteries may also continue to be permanently installed. In this case, however, they must still have at least 83 percent of their capacity after 500 charging cycles and at least 80 percent after 1000 recharges. Overall, the regulation regulates the entire life cycle of a battery – for the first time, from production to reuse and recycling. The general collection targets for waste portable batteries are 63% by the end of 2027 and 73% by the end of 2030. However, the government wants to maintain the local target for a collection rate of 50% until 2026, as this is currently still higher than the EU requirements.

The regulation has been in force throughout the EU internal market since mid-February. It contains transitional and separate periods of validity, as well as opening clauses for national legislators. The German government intends to make partial use of these, establish procedural rules and designate the competent national authorities. Violations are also to be punished and non-compliant behavior sanctioned. The draft "Implementation Act" for the new battery law still has to be passed by the Bundesrat and Bundestag. The regulations should then come into force in August 2025. In its statement on the previous draft bill, Deutsche Umwelthilfe also called for a deposit system for lithium-ion batteries, a "good collection structure" and better incentive systems. The consumption of batteries must be reduced. The German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (ZVEI) called for the obligation for starter battery manufacturers to join a responsible organization to be reconsidered.

(vbr)