New battery law expected this summer

Just like the WEEE directive the new battery directive imposes takeback and recycling obligations to all producers who puts a product containing batteries on the European market, not only the battery producers. This new law is an extension of the already existing battery law implemented 1991 which regulated the handling of certain types of batteries. At first glance the new battery law may look like it is under the WEEE directive's umbrella but according to one of the largest battery producers Panasonic, who collected 2,400 tonnes of batteries last year, only 1 percent of these come from WEEE collection schemes. The new law is expected to come this summer and from that date the European member states have two years to implement the national laws.