What do businesses that manufacture, import and sell batteries in the UK need to do to comply with the new Batteries Directive?
The batteries regulations will affect your business if you: • manufacture batteries or place batteries on the UK market • manufacture domestic original equipment and your products include batteries or accumulators when placed on the market • import batteries for sale in the UK • import appliances and vehicles containing overseas-sourced batteries and placed them on the market for the first time • retail or distribute more than 32kg of portable batteries per year. Different rules will apply to portable, automotive and industrial batteries. Accumulators or built-in rechargeable batteries are considered portable batteries. The regulations place limits on the concentration of mercury and cadmium in batteries. You must keep records of the types and total weight of batteries you produce and place on the market per year from 5 May 2009. Batteries must be clearly labelled with the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol and their chemical type. Producers of automotive and industrial batteries must regi
