According to a study published by the European Battery Recycling Association, the rates of portable battery recycling have only risen by one percent over the last year. This minor rise is not even close to the targets that were hoped to be reached in the European Union, which underscores how battery recycling may be one segments of the recycling industry that is largely overlooked. When batteries leach and burst they allow for harmful chemicals to be released into the environment, which can cause a variety of problems and potential health issues.
The EU Batteries Directive set specific targets for battery recycling, which it will evaluate in the year 2012. However, if current rates continue the European Union will be well behind its targeted goals. The Directive set the goal that twenty five percent of all batteries were to be recycled by the year 2012. As of the present time, the number stands at just over fourteen percent- well below the goal.
EBRA is not admitting that this goal may be unattainable by the year 2012. The Association blames the drop off in the recycling of primary batteries like button cell and lithium. Even though some types of batteries were recycled at a much higher rate, it wasn’t enough to offset the difference as button cell and lithium batteries make up the majority of batteries on the market.
The United Kingdom was singled out by EBRA as one of the EU states where the goals was very likely to be met. The United Kingdom’s battery recycling program will not come on full force until the beginning of 2010, which makes it well behind the average, at only five percent of batteries being recycled.
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