You may only temporarily store or repackage waste lead acid batteries containing POPs before: You must also sort lead acid batteries with polypropylene cases, that should not contain POPs, from those with other cases. You must also hold an environmental permit or exemption that allows this activity.
This guidance applies to waste automotive, industrial and portable lead acid batteries. It does not apply to other types of waste battery. The plastic cases of waste lead acid batteries may contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs). You can identify if a waste lead acid battery may contain POPs by checking: Where the battery case is made of :
You may send ABS plastics and mixed plastics containing ABS from lead acid batteries for destruction (or irreversible transformation) of the POPs: You can only send mixed plastics for treatment if that is a pre-treatment to separate the POP containing plastics for destruction. The uncontaminated polypropylene fraction can then be recycled.
You must only treat a waste lead acid battery containing POPs for the purpose of separating the POP containing plastic case materials for destruction. You must send all fractions from the treatment of the battery that contain POPs containing plastic material for destruction.
You must also hold an environmental permit or exemption that allows this activity. You must only treat a waste lead acid battery containing POPs for the purpose of separating the POP containing plastic case materials for destruction.
You can identify if a waste lead acid battery may contain POPs by checking: Where the battery case is made of : You can also use x-ray fluorescence (XRF) to scan the plastic case for bromine, an indicator of the presence of brominated flame retardants including POPs. However, you must: You are not required to use XRF to scan for bromine.