Page 37 from: July / August 2005

Dr Dallenbach’s presentation had earlier provided
delegates with an update on the scale and make-up
of the European portable battery market. Combining
figures from 16 countries, he stated that market size
in 2002 was equivalent to some 5.5 billion units, or
155 000 tonnes. Statistics for 2003 had yet to be
finalised but the speaker believed the total volume
had risen to nearer 160 000 tonnes. In terms of both
the number of units and total weight, the market had
been ‘quite stable’ for a number of years, according to
Dr Dallenbach. There was growth in sales of alka-
line, rechargeable and lithium batteries whereas car-
bon-zinc units were in decline.

Jacques David, President of the European Battery
Recycling Association (EBRA), used the opportunity
of the latest ICBR event to reiterate his own organi-
sation’s position on recent legislative developments.
The association was calling for a minimum collec-
tion rate to be fixed for each EU member state: this
should be 30% three years after the adoption of the
directive and 50% two years later. EBRA accepted
the 50% target on recycling efficiency for primary
batteries and 70% for nickel-cadmium batteries, but
it also argued that this efficiency should be calculat-
ed on a ‘raw state, as-received basis’. Mr David
added: ‘Use for energy must not be considered at this
stage of the calculation. Recycling batteries should
be organised in a way to preserve natural resources.’

Efficiency monitoring

An earlier keynote address from Timo Makela,
Director for Sustainable Development and

Integration within the European Commission’s DG
Environment, explained the need for an updated
directive by pointing out that current EU regula-
tions applied only to hazardous batteries and that
there were no collection or recycling targets at EU
level to monitor the efficiency of national schemes.
‘Many batteries still end up in the environment – in
2002, 45% of the total amount of portable batteries
sold in the EU-15,’ he stated.

According to Mr Makela, the main issues still to
be agreed upon by the Council and the European
Parliament were: the scope of a restriction on the
use of cadmium and lead in batteries; the level of
ambition of the recycling targets; and also the level
of ambition of the recycling requirements. Having
noted that the Council had conducted an impact
assessment on a possible cadmium ban, the speaker
described as an ‘open issue’ whether the European
Parliament would also make such an assessment in
its second reading, which was scheduled for
September this year.

Experience in Japan

The other keynote speech at this year’s ICBR was
delivered by Mike Takao, Section Manager with
Japan’s Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd, Mobile Energy
Company. He explained that his country had intro-
duced a regulatory amendment in March 2001
demanding that recycling and collection markings be
placed on the different types of portable recharge-
able battery, including nickel-cadmium, Ni-MH,
lithium-ion and lead. Also in 2001, the Japan
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Center (JBRC) was
established by the Battery Association of Japan.

Over the ensuing four years, said Mr Takao, the
JBRC had become an independent entity with more
than 200 members – all of whom pay a membership
fee based on the volume of rechargeable batteries
shipped in the domestic market. The total amount of
batteries collected under the auspices of the JBRC
had risen from 795 tonnes in 2001 to 1162 tonnes
last year; collection of nickel-cadmium batteries
alone had jumped from 628 tonnes to 975 tonnes
over the same period, while the 2004 collection totals
for Ni-MH, lithium-ion and lead batteries were,
respectively, 110, 67 and 10 tonnes.

Mr Takao confirmed that the Battery Association
of Japan was planning to propose the introduction
of the familiar Mebius loop plus chemical symbol as
the international recycling mark. The issue was dis-

B A T T E R Y R E C Y C L I N G I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Recycling International • July/August 2005 37

eb ate continues By Ian Martin

In 2002, the market size of the European
portable battery market of the 16 EU countries
was equivalent to some 5.5 billion units,
or 155 000 tonnes.

Many delegates paid a visit to the ICBR exhibition area.