Collection and recycling of spent portable batteries-the actual situation in Europe

Collection and recycling of spent batteries on a voluntary basis instead of forced by law has advantages and disadvantages: on the one side flexibility, on the other side there is the “free-rider” problem and the unclear legal situation concerning the antitrust legislation, national and Europe-wide. The European legislation-EC directives-concerning environmental matters, a multitude of national laws, decrees and guidelines have to be regarded. National legislation, for example, in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, with national collection schemes and financing schemes are in existence. The EPBA Scheme (European Portable Battery Association) for collection and recycling is a guideline for all battery producers in the EC member states. There are recycling facilities today-what is economically feasible for the “today-nonrecycables” in future? A precondition for economic recycling is sorting by chemical systems. Recycling processes for primary alkaline cells, zinc-carbon cells and lithium cells are developed and feasible when we have real 8% mercury (<5 PPM in the battery waste stream). This paper describes the main topics mentioned above and gives more detail on battery recycling and disposal in Germany