Battery recycling has become a hot topic in the United Kingdom for a variety of reasons. Not only are batteries responsible for a large amount of waste that ends up in landfills, but batteries can leak harmful chemicals into the soil if not disposed of properly. These chemicals eventually end up in groundwater and even drinking water, causing a variety of potential health problems. This is why battery manufacturers in the United Kingdom are being forced to act. The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 set strict guidelines for those who produce and handle batteries in the United Kingdom.
The new Regulations require that any business that imports or manufactures at least one tonne of batteries in the United Kingdom, or those who make products that put batteries into the UK marketplace will be held responsible for taking care of the recycling and treatment of waste batteries. The amount they are responsible for will be in direct relation to their share of the market. These regulations aim to ensure that the companies that are doing the most business are most responsible for cleaning up the mess. These businesses will have to register with Environmental Agencies in various nations in the United Kingdom.
Although companies producing or importing less than one tonne of batteries are not be held accountable by the new laws, they still must register with the National Producer Responsibility Database. Battery recycling schemes will be monitored by the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Environment Northern Ireland.
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