On December 10, 2013, the EU published the battery revision directive 2013 / 56 / EU in its official gazette, canceling the cadmium exemption of wireless power tool batteries and prohibiting mercury in button batteries. The battery directive (2006 / 66 / EC) issued by the European Union in 2006 requires Member States to prohibit all batteries and batteries (whether used with equipment or not) with mercury content exceeding 0.0005% (weight percentage) and portable batteries and batteries (including products used with equipment) with cadmium content exceeding 0.002% (weight percentage) from being put on the market.
Hazardous substance content requirements
(1) Prohibit the sale of batteries and batteries with mercury content of more than 0.0005% (button batteries with mercury content of less than 2% are exempted until October 1, 2015);
(2) It is prohibited to sell batteries and batteries with cadmium content of more than 0.002% and exempt them from use in emergency and alarm systems, including emergency lights and medical equipment (wireless electric tools are exempted until December 31, 2016).
(3) The new battery directive extends the original ban to prohibit portable batteries and batteries containing more than 0.002% cadmium and batteries containing cadmium for cordless electric tools from putting on the market - from December 31, 2016
(4) The new directive also prohibits the sale of button batteries containing less than 2% mercury by weight. The ban will apply 21 months after the entry into force of the directive.
Requirements for battery recycling identification and hazardous substance identification
All batteries, batteries and button batteries shall be marked with crossed pulley dustbin. If the mercury (Hg) content in the battery exceeds 0.0005% (5ppm), or the cadmium (CD) content exceeds 0.002% (20ppm), or the lead (PB) content exceeds 0.004% (40ppm), the chemical symbol of the metal exceeding the limit shall be attached to the crossed pulley dustbin mark, and the area occupied by the chemical symbol shall be at least one quarter of the crossed pulley dustbin mark.
If the battery or storage battery contains more than one of the above metals, the corresponding chemical symbols shall be attached respectively. For example, if a battery contains more than 0.004% lead (PB) and more than 0.0005% mercury (Hg), the symbols Pb and Hg should be added.
The symbol shall cover 3% of the area of the largest side of the battery, storage battery or battery pack, but shall not be greater than 5cmx5cm; If the battery is cylindrical, the symbol shall cover 1.5% of the surface area of the battery or battery and shall not be greater than 5cm x 5cm;
If the size of the symbol may be less than 0.5cm x 0.5cm due to the limitation of area, the battery, battery or battery pack itself need not be marked, but the relevant symbol with an area of not less than 1cm x 1cm shall be printed on the package;
Symbols shall be clearly visible and indelible.
Recycling and reuse
According to the directive, the distributor has the responsibility to recycle the used batteries from consumers and inform consumers of this responsibility. By 2012, the minimum recovery rate of EU Member States should reach 25% and 45% in 2016. In terms of recycling rate, the average weight of lead-acid batteries and batteries is 65%, that of nickel cadmium batteries is 75%, and that of other batteries is 50%.
