1. Introduction

The European Commission proposes new legislation which would require the collection and recycling of all portable batteries. The European Portable Battery Association supports this initiative provided that the measures take proper account of what is technically feasible within a realistic time scale and avoid unnecessary costs, trade barriers and market distortion.

The EPBA has developed technology to recycle general purpose batteries in the metals industry but in order to implement it successfully throughout Europe two important steps are essential. These steps comprise the EPBA "Two Step Plan" and the need for the two steps and what they are is described below.

2. The different types of batteries

Portable batteries fall into one of the three following categories:

• General purpose - These are the common batteries used in many everyday household appliances like radios, torches and personal stereos. They account for 90% of the market.
• Button cells - These batteries are used in applications such as hearing aids, watches and cameras. They make up 2% of the battery market.
• Rechargeables - These are sold as battery packs for use in camcorders or portable computers, as well as single cells and comprise 8% of the battery market.

3. Contents of general purpose batteries

General purpose batteries, which make up the vast majority of batteries sold, are made from zinc, manganese, steel, carbon, oxygen, water and chlorides. The zinc, manganese and steel are recyclable and the carbon recoverable as energy. If definitions used by the EC are applied about 55% of these batteries are recyclable and 65% recoverable - depending on the mixture of different types present in the waste.

4. Recycling principles

If waste recycling is to be of benefit to society the process used must be:
• Effective in recovering the waste materials such that they may be used again, either for their original purpose or for some other purpose.
• Environmentally sound by having acceptable environmental impact.
• Economically viable so that the costs are competitive. Unless these principles are followed recycling schemes are not sustainable in the long-term.

5. Examples of good recycling practices

To see how these principles are met in practice it is useful to look at the most successful recycling schemes in Europe: glass bottles, aluminium cans, paper and steel products.

The success of these schemes is based upon:

• Effective sorting into waste type
• Recycling in the original manufacturing process. This has the following benefits:
• Guaranteed outlet for recycled materials
• No additional environmental burden
• Minimal additional expenditure.

These fundamental principles can be applied to the recycling of batteries.

6. Recycling batteries in the metals industry

Extensive trials undertaken by the EPBA in a number of European facilities have shown that general purpose alkaline manganese and zinc carbon batteries, with no added mercury, can be successfully recycled in the metals industry.

Two possible processes have been identified which lead to the recycling of the zinc, manganese and steel fractions inside batteries and the recovery of carbon as energy in the smelting processes.

This approach has a number of benefits:

• recycling technology is proven
• existing plants and infrastructure are utilised
• there is sufficient capacity to recycle all waste batteries in Europe
• recycled materials will have ready access to established markets
• minimal additional environmental impact
• low capital and operating costs
• sustainable in the long-term.

7. EPBA Recycling scheme

There are three distinct operations in recycling batteries:

1. Collection - Based on the experience of national battery collection schemes in Europe the EPBA recommends that municipal authorities are best placed to take responsibility for this operation.

Their existing infrastructure already covers the majority of households nationally and offers maximum convenience to the consumer, without whose co-operation meaningful quantities of waste batteries cannot be collected. Experience proves that collection by municipalities results in unit costs of collection 50% lower than alternative methods of collection.

The EPBA accepts proportionate responsibility for all post collection operations.

2. Sorting - The mixture of batteries will be sorted into chemical types on a high speed, automatic battery sorting machine purpose built by the EPBA.

3. Recycling - The sorted button cells and mercury oxide batteries as well as nickel cadmium and lead batteries will be sent to existing recyclers for the recovery of metals contained in them. Alkaline manganese, zinc carbon and lithium batteries will be sent to the metals industry as already explained.

8. Battery sorting

The EPBA has designed and developed an automatic high speed battery sorting machine to reliably sort waste batteries into the different chemical types. EPBA Sorting Technology

It comprises a front end for sorting into different sizes and a back end for sorting into different chemical types. The front end utilises simple graded vibrating sieves with manual contribution for packs and non battery trash. The back end uses a combination of electronic sensors and high speed weighing to detect and sort into the different chemical types. In addition, it is planned that in future zero mercury batteries will incorporate a UV fluorescent ink in the label to allow reliable high speed detection and sorting.

A machine capable of sorting up to 9,000 tonnes per year has been installed and is in operation in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

9. Removal of mercury from batteries - impact on waste

In 1985 EPBA members commenced a programme to remove mercury in alkaline manganese batteries in a series of steps from its then level of 1% (10,000 parts per million) to zero. At that time zinc carbon batteries also contained mercury but at a lower concentration of 0.01% (100 ppm) and its removal too was incorporated within the programme.

Since 1 January 1994 all these general purpose batteries sold by EPBA members in Europe have been mercury free. However, batteries containing up to 0.025% (250 ppm) mercury continue to be imported into the Community as allowed by Directive 91/157/EEC on batteries and accumulators containing dangerous substances.

Some batteries disposed of to waste still contain mercury because:

• They were sold before 1994 - batteries are observed in the waste stream ten years after they are sold.
• They are imported by non-EPBA members, containing up to 250 ppm mercury as allowed by 91/157/EEC and comprise 2% of the market.

For batteries to be recycled in the metals industry their mercury content must be not more than 0.0005% (5 ppm), the permitted limit for the metals industry.

In order to reduce the mercury content of batteries in waste to 5 ppm or below the EPBA is advising the EC Commission that:

• EC legislation needs to be changed to prohibit the marketing of general purpose batteries with more than 5 ppm mercury in the Community. This level allows for the presence of naturally occurring background concentrations in battery materials.

• Allow sufficient time for batteries sold before 1994 and containing mercury to be used, discarded and work their way through the system.
• Allow sufficient time for batteries containing mercury prohibited by EC legislation to be used, discarded and work their way through the system - 4 years.
• Introduce a Technical Adaptation to 91/157 to prohibit mercury in general purpose batteries from 1 January 1999, and amendments for recycling to commence four years later in 2003. Any delay in introducing the mercury prohibition will result in a corresponding delay in the date from which batteries can be recycled in the metals industry.

10. The EPBA 2 Step Plan

The adoption of the 2 Step Plan into EC legislation is essential for the fast track recycling of batteries at minimum cost throughout the Community.