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The European Parliament introduced a new Directive, 2008/98/EC, on waste and repealing certain Directives. The Directive lays down measures to protect the environment and human health by preventing or reducing the adverse impacts of the generation and management of waste and by reducing overall impacts of resource use and improving efficiency of such use.
- National Waste Strategies/Area Waste Plans
National Waste Strategies (NWSs) for England, Wales and Scotland have been adopted. These provide a framework for reducing the amount of waste produced and to deal with waste in more sustainable ways. Following adoption of the NWSs, Area Waste Management Plans have been developed to provide locally based framework documents for the strategic planning of an integrated network of waste management facilities.
The implementation of these regulations transfer the duty to prepare Scotland’s national waste strategy from SEPA to Scottish ministers.
This enables enactment of the Battery Directive in Scotland. The Directive includes collection and reprocessing targets for portable batteries, while all industrial and automotive batteries are to be collected for recycling.
The first collection targets for portable batteries are to be achieved by September 2012, but reprocessing targets for collected batteries must be achieved from 2010.
The government is currently in the early stages of developing a nationwide strategy for the collection and recycling of waste batteries to comply with the Directive.
These Regulations came into force on 26 September 2008 and add to the measures put in place to reduce the impact of waste products on the environment. They represent a big first step towards implementing the Batteries Directive as a whole. The Regulations cover requirements for labelling batteries to boost recycling, set limits for the content of certain chemicals in batteries and prevent the placing on the market of certain batteries. The also give the Secretary of State for Business responsibility for enforcement, including the power to obtain evidence if producers are believed to have infringed the regulations.
- The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009
The EU's Directive on Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators (2006/66/EC) aims to reduce the environmental impact of portable, automotive and industrial batteries by increasing recycling and 'greening' the supply chain that produces and distributes them. It applies to all types of batteries regardless of shape, volume, weight, material composition or use.
The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 came into force on 5th May 2009 which establish the legislative framework for the collection, treatment and recycling of waste batteries and accumulators in the UK.
A key element requires persons placing batteries on the market to register as a producer of batteries, and report on waste batteries collected and sent for recycling.
These regulations establish the scope of 'producer responsibility', requiring producers of batteries and accumulators to take responsibility for separately collecting and recycling batteries and accumulators once they become waste.
The Environmental Permitting (EP) Regulations 2007 introduced new and revised standard rules and generic risk assessments concerning waste operations under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive. Standard rules define how operators must carry out activities, for example by limiting the types of waste that can be brought onto a site. If an operator wishes to carry out an activity covered by standard rules they can apply for a standard permit. This will be quicker and easier than applying for a bespoke permit with a more detailed assessment. The Environment Agency is currently consulting on proposed rules under the Environmental Permitting Regulations.
The over-arching Battery Directive aims to improve the environmental performance of those involved in the life cycle of batteries, e.g. producer, distributors, end-users and waste operators. The regulations aim to protect the environment from hazardous compounds found in industrial and automotive batteries. It prohibits the disposal of untreated industrial and automotive batteries to landfill or by incineration. Operators are required to store batteries only on an impermeable surface and under weatherproof covering;
Requirements for handling batteries will also see amendments to existing licenses granted under the Waste Licensing Regulations 1994 and existing permits granted under the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000.
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