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Batteries

Council Directive 91/157/EEC of 18 March 1991 on batteries and accumulators containing certain dangerous substances was amended by Commission Directive 93/86/EEC of 4 October 1993 adapting to technical progress Council Directive 91/157/EEC on batteries and accumulators containing certain dangerous substances. Directive 91/157/EEC prohibits, with effect from 1 January 1993, the placing on the market of:

• manganese alkaline batteries designed for prolonged use in extreme conditions and containing more than 0.05% by weight of mercury;
• any other alkaline battery with a mercury content of more than 0.025% by weight.

Directive 93/86/EEC establishes the detailed arrangements for the marking system envisaged in Article 4 of Directive 91/157/EEC on batteries and accumulators covered by that Directive and manufactured for sale in, imported into, the Community on or after 1 January 1994. It gives the details for the type, size and nature of the different markings.

Commission Directive 98/101/EC of 22 December 1998 adapting to technical progress Council Directive 91/157/EEC on batteries and accumulators containing certain dangerous substances tightened up these standards sharply as of 1 January 2000, the date on which Member States prohibited the marketing of batteries and accumulators containing more than 0.0005% of mercury by weight. The same applies to appliances incorporating such batteries and accumulators. Batteries of the "button" type or those composed of elements of the "button" type are excluded from the scope of the Directives. Member States must draw up programs aimed primarily at reducing the heavy-metal content of batteries and accumulators. Under these programs, Member States must encourage the separate collection of batteries and accumulators with a view to their recovery or ultimate disposal. The batteries and accumulators, or the appliances in which they are incorporated, must be marked in such a way as to indicate separate collection and recycling requirements and heavy-metal content.

 

IP/03/1596, the 11/25/2003: the European Commission will repeal the existing Battery Directive 91/157/EEC and   proposed a new Directive in November 2003 in order to set targets for collection and recycling of all types of batteries and more stringent targets for Nickel-cadmium batteries.

Directive Code	Directive Name	Directive Date	Date of Enforcement
91/157/EEC	Batteries and accumulators containing certain dangerous substances	18-Mar-1991	1-Jan-1993
Amendment	Commission Directive 93/86/EEC	4-Oct-1993	31-Dec-1993
Amendment	Commission Directive 98/101/EC	22-Dec-1998	1-Jan-2000