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THE WASTE BATTERIES AND ACCUMULATORS REGULATIONS 2009

Producer obligations: Industrial and automotive batteries - the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009.

The VCA enforcement team are keen to assist producers of industrial batteries and automotive batteries to understand and fulfil their obligations under this legislation.

The VCA will be providing guidance where necessary, ensuring that producers register and submit annual records in a timely manner. The VCA will also be ensuring that producers of industrial batteries and automotive are providing information on the requirement to take back waste batteries from the end user.

Producers are defined in the Regulations as; “...any person in the United Kingdom that, irrespective of the selling technique used [distance sellers included] places batteries, including those incorporated into appliances or vehicles, on the market for the first time in the United Kingdom on a professional basis”.

An industrial battery means a battery or battery pack of any size or weight which is:

• designed exclusively for industrial or professional uses;
• used as a source of power for propulsion in an electric vehicle or a “hybrid” vehicle (i.e. a vehicle with both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine);
• unsealed but is not an automotive battery; or
• sealed but is not classified as a portable battery.

An automotive battery means a battery of any size or weight that is used for the starting or ignition of the engine of a road going vehicle or for providing power for any lighting used by such a vehicle.

Key Information:

National Packaging Waste Database - Batteries Home (page opens in a new browser window)

The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations (page opens in a new browser window)

Government Guidance Notes (page opens in a new browser window) 

Environment Agencies:

• Environment Agency - http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ (page opens in a new browser window)
• The Northern Ireland Environment Agency - http://www.ni-environment.gov.uk/ (page opens in a new browser window)
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency - http://www.sepa.org.uk/ (page opens in a new browser window)

For further information please call the VCA Battery Helpline on 0300 330 5799.