The new Batteries Regulation aims at improving safety and minimising the environmental impact of batteries placed in the market, by making them sustainable through their entire life cycle. This regulation is a CE marking regulation that mandates battery producers to adhere to requirements such as those regarding: It also: a.
Rechargeable portable batteries, LMT batteries, and SLI batteries should be labelled with the battery’s capacity. b. Non-rechargeable portable batteries should be labelled with the phrase “non-rechargeable. c. Batteries containing over 0.004% lead and 0.002% cadmium should be labelled with their respective chemical symbols (e.g., “Pb”, “Cd”).
The Batteries Regulation has started to became applicable on February 18, 2024, meaning that its provisions have legal effect since this day. The Batteries Regulation is the first European legislation that considers the full life cycle of batteries, including sourcing, manufacturing, use, and recycling, all in a single law.
The Batteries Regulation applies to all batteries, including portable batteries, and more specifically, portable batteries of general use.
A battery’s label should include the traceability and specification information, such as: You can find more information in Part A of Annex VI. Batteries must be marked with the separate collection symbol, which should: Printed above the relevant chemical symbol.
Annex I of the regulation lists restrictions for three substances, regardless of their incorporation into appliances. The restricted substances are as follows: a. Batteries should not contain more than 0.0005% of mercury by weight. b. Portable batteries should not contain more than 0.002% of cadmium by weight.