This guide covers household batteries like AAs and AAAs, as well as button cells and hearing aid batteries. It does not cover lithium-ion (Li-on) battery packs for laptops and mobile phones, or car batteries. All the brands also make powerbanks and battery chargers for rechargeable batteries.
But by 31 December 2030, the EU Commission will assess whether to phase out the use of non-rechargeable batteries for general use. Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries are the most common type of household rechargeable battery on the market today, along with the Lithium-ion battery in your phone or laptop and in powerbanks.
In a step forward since our last battery guide, three brands of rechargeable batteries now get an extra half a Product Sustainability mark for using recycled content: Energizer: 15% recycled content in AA and AAA rechargeable batteries and 7% in C, D, and 9-volt. Varta: 21% recycled content in Recharge Accu Recycled AAA and AAs.
Philips is the only company to get a best rating for Conflict Minerals and also gets best for Carbon Reporting and middle for Environmental Reporting. But its batteries had no recycled content, nor plastic-free packaging, nor Nordic Swan-certification. What to avoid when buying batteries? Is it single use?
More abundant materials like sodium and sand are being looked at which can be sourced locally and less destructively. Other technologies such as metal-air batteries, solid-state batteries and the use of silicon are all vying to try and increase capacity, and also safety, while reducing production costs.
Most of the batteries with this Ecolabel are disposables but the following brands of rechargeable batteries are also included: Varta Recharge Recycled AA & AAA and VARTA RECHARGE ACCU Power AA. Energizer Rech Power Plus AA & AAA, Rech Extreme AA & AAA. Duracell Ultra Power Rechargeable AA & AAA. GP – Recyko AA & AAA.