The new European battery standard is law:from sustainable production to recycling

The EU regulation on sustainable batteries is now law on the territory of all member countries.The Twenty-Seven will be provided with the ability to strengthen sustainability standards for all batteries and regulate their entire life cycle, from production to recycling.The aim is to reduce environmental and social impacts through new stringent rules for operators, who will have to verify the origin of the raw materials used for the batteries placed on the market.For this reason, new labeling and information guidelines on components are also foreseen new “electronic drum passport”.The objectives to combat the abandonment of rare components such as lithium, cobalt, copper, lead and nickel have also been established:by 2031 more than 80% must be recoverable after consumption.Finally, starting in 2027, consumers will need to be able to remove and replace the batteries in their electronic devices at any point in their life cycle.

Batteries and derived waste have been regulated at European level since 2006.In 2017 the Commission he started the European Battery Alliance:a project that aims to guarantee the supply of all the capacitors necessary to ““decarbonise” the transport and energy sectors.Due to new socio-economic conditions, Green New Deal objectives and technological developments, the Commission proposed in December 2020 to revise the Directive to address the growing demand for batteries, as globally a 14-fold increase is expected by 2030 with the EU potentially accounting for as much as 17% of that demand.

Now, after the green light from Parliament last 14 June and after the 20 days established after publication in the Official Journal of the EU, the new regulation it's officially law throughout the territory of the member countries.They are included all types of batteries and related waste:portable, for electric vehicles, for starting, industrial, for ignition and lightning and for light means of transport (bicycles, electric scooters and scooters).A target of 45% by the end of 2023, 63% by 2027 and 73% by 2030 has been set for the collection of portable battery waste by the producers themselves.Also expected to improve the recovery of rare components:50% by 2027 and 80% by 2031 for lithium, 90% by 2027 and 95% by 2031 for cobalt, copper, lead and nickel.Furthermore, targets on mandatory minimum levels of recycled content for industrial batteries have also been set:16% for cobalt, 85% for lead, 6% for lithium and nickel.In 13 years the thresholds will be raised to 26% for cobalt, 85% for lead, 12% for lithium and 15% for nickel respectively.

Finally, as already discussed elsewhere item de The Independent, starting from 2027 consumers will have to be Able to remove and replace batteries in their electronic products at any point in their life cycle.Key information and data – including the carbon footprint if the capacity will be greater than 2 kilowatt hours – will be provided on a label and a QR code will allow access to a digital passport with detailed information useful to both consumers and professionals to increase the circular battery economy.The entry into force of the new regulation was announced also on X-Twitter by the Commission, which declared:«Batteries are strategic for the EU's transition towards a climate-neutral economy.Starting today, the Battery Regulation will ensure that batteries are safe, circular and sustainable throughout their entire life cycle."

[by Roberto Demaio]