2. Other Regulatory Developments
Minamata convention
Circular economy package
Revision batteries directive
Russia

3. Minamata Convention
February 2016: Commission proposal on the conclusion of the Minamata Convention on Mercury
Phase out date 2020 for Batteries, except for button zinc silver oxide batteries with a mercury content < 2% and button zinc air batteries with a mercury content < 2%
European Parliament’s proposed amendment
Full alignment with the batteries directive:
Applicable to all batteries
Limit of 0,0005%
Phase out date: 31/12/2020

4. Other Regulatory Developments
Minamata convention
Circular economy package
Revision batteries directive
Russia

5. Circular Economy Package
European Commission proposal issued in Dec 2015 to revise the following legislation:
Waste package:
ELV, WEEE & Batteries Dir.
Waste Framework Dir.
Landfill of waste Dir.
Packaging and Packaging waste Dir.
Next stage in process is discussion & position by:
European Parliament
European Council (Member States)

6. Circular Economy Package
Key-concerns following EP proposed amendments
Definition of municipal waste
EPR requirements
Circular economy principles
Changes to the Batteries Directive
Proposed changes to the Waste Framework Directive

7. Circular Economy Package
Waste Directive – EP proposals (amendments)
1) Definition of municipal waste
Including batteries in definition
Specific targets for municipal waste
Recycling and reuse rates linked to municipal waste
Reduction and removal of hazardous substances in products: MS might set own criteria on limit values of pollutants and set up waste prevention programmes

8. Circular Economy Package
Waste Directive – EP proposals (amendments)
2) Revision of EPR requirements
Modulated fee according to repairability, reusability,etc
Transparency in costs
Need for targets covering waste reuse and preparation for reuse Transparancy of cost borne by public waste operators
Reuse process costs are included in EPR fee
Creation of a new national body to oversee implementation of EPR

9. Circular Economy Package
Waste Directive – EP proposals (amendments)
3) Applying circular economy principles to all products
Targets at MS level to encourage reuse and preparation for reuse
Study for extending scope of Ecodesign requirements
Market restrictions for single use products
Promotion of products that are reusable, easy to maintain/repair
Focus on reuse activities
Promote life time extension, minimum durability
Economic instruments to reduce waste generation and promote CE

10. Circular Economy Package
Battery Directive – Partial revision
The Commission proposed two changes to the Battery Directive
 Reporting between Member States and the Commission
The European Parliament takes the opportunity to propose additional changes
Comment: the battery directive will be revised in the coming years
It is not the opportune moment to have now a partial revision

11. Circular Economy Package
Battery Directive – EP proposals (amendments)
Removal of hazardous substances at design stage
Call for EC and ECHA to step up efforts to substitute hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment
Ask for consumer information on environmental performance throughout lifecycle / life expectancy
Propose economic instruments to be used by MS to promote shift to CE
Call for a review of the directive based on Impact Assessment by 31 Dec 2018 taking into account CE and new technological developments

12. Circular Economy Package
EPBA position: Waste Directive – main arguments
No overlaps with sectors already governed by EU legislation: oppose inclusion of batteries in the municipal waste definition
Substance bans should be governed by EU-wide product specific legislation: bans at national level would create internal market distortions
EPR requirements should not be over-prescriptive: implementation is up to MS, no additional body, no prescription that an EPR scheme should be not-for-profit, no additional EPR requirement for batteries
Circular economy principles should be dealt with via product specific legislation: concept of repair/re-use can’t apply to batteries

13. Circular Economy Package
EPBA position: Battery Directive – main arguments
No need to fully amend the Battery directive
Initial EC proposal: reporting requirements & data sharing between MS & EC.
EC has published a roadmap to start the official revision process of the directive (confirmed by Rizo Martin)
Risk of distorting the the internal market
Proposed use of economic instruments via tax incentives at national level will distort the internal market

14. Other Regulatory Developments
Minamata convention
Circular economy package
Revision batteries directive
Russia

15. Revision battery directive
The Commission published its evaluation roadmap on 16 August
→ 4 week consulatation period
The roadmap can be seen as the official start of the revision of the batteries directive:
→ Are the objectives achieved?

16. Revision battery directive
Comments sent on roadmap
Circular economy
Relevance of directive
Effectiveness of directive
Calculation methodology
Collection targets
EPR
Recycling efficiency targets
Capacity marking

17. Revision battery directive
Comments sent on roadmap
Efficiency of directive
Visible fee
Coherence
Next steps
Commission to open tender procedure to appoint consultant
Consultation will start in 2017 (March / April) and will run for 12 week
→ Focus will be on the implementation of the Directive on national level

18. Other Regulatory Developments
Minamata convention
Circular economy package
Revision batteries directive
Russia

19. Russia Waste legislation
Scope: only individuale rechargeable batteries
 Interpretation is that the legislation not applies to those integrated into appliances.
 this is an omission from the government and it is expected that this will be corrected in the near future.
 this also applies for primary batteries for which it as assumed that it will be included later in the scope of legislation.

20. Russia Waste legislation
Collection target for rechargeable batteries is set at 10% for and 15% for 2017.
In the absence of an operating collection and recycling scheme – which is now the case – an environment fee needs to be paid of 33 476 rub per ton which is, according to todays’ exchange rate, approx. €490/$535.
The targets have to be revised every 3 years but nothing is said on the fees
 possibility that these can be revised sooner

21. Russia Waste legislation
The Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan and Russia) has contacted Ratek for information on the European Battery Directive.
 At this point, there is no information if they want to develop a legislation based on the Batteries Directive.
By the end of the summer a WEEE scheme will be set up which will become operational as of 1 January 2017.
Pilot project
 pilot project is to be organized for collection and recycling of WEEE in Moscow region, including batteries and mercury lamps.