Currently, the regulations are as follows:
Waste Batteries and Accumulator Regulations 2009
This regulation identifies that producers of automotive batteries (including lithium) are legally required to “collect waste automotive batteries free of charge and within a reasonable time from a final holder of automotive batteries when requested by that final holder”. Final holder can mean scrapyards.
With respect to treatment and recycling, producers of automotive batteries are legally required to ensure that any waste batteries taken back or collected by the producer are delivered to and accepted by:
“An approved battery treatment operator for treatment and recycling; or
an approved battery exporter for export for treatment and recycling outside the United Kingdom.”
Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016
Operators of salvage yards must hold an environmental permit for their activities and will likely hold a ‘standard rules’ permit for vehicle storage, depollution and dismantling.
The regulations require operators of these sites to comply with their permit conditions. These conditions will include restrictions on what types of wastes (including batteries) the operator can store / hold and how long they can store it for.
Potential Future Regulation Changes:
Update to 2008/98/EC – Waste Framework Directive ** This is EU legislation that the UK has adopted so expectation is any updates will be adopted by the UK.
Changes are being made with respect to the classification of battery waste. At present, lithium-ion batteries do not have a specific classification and under the regs are classified as “other batteries and accumulators”. This is a non-hazardous waste classification.
The change being made is to include specific categories for batteries based on their chemistries including (but not limited to):
16 06 07* - waste lithium-based batteries
The main takeaway is that it is likely lithium-ion batteries are going to be reclassified as hazardous waste.
This will (eventually) have a knock-on effect on scrap yard / salvage yard environmental permits and will likely require operators to hold lithium batteries for a reduced time period (potentially only 6 months).
