The EU is revolutionizing the battery market for electronic products with a package of rules designed to shake up the world of consumer electronics, a package that – barring delays or sudden changes – should come into effect by 2024. The aim is to reduce waste and make the sector more sustainable.
Batteries, the proposals of the European Union
The new package of European standards aims to regulate the electronics sector in such a way as to push with increasing conviction towards the Green deal, towards the goal of making theClimate neutral Europe by 2050.
One of the proposals is that of discard non-rechargeable batteries: by 2023 these batteries will have to be clearly and unambiguously labeled as “non-rechargeable”; by 2027, on the other hand, they will have to disappear completely from the market, leaving room exclusively for rechargeable ones.
The obligation for manufacturers to return is also introduced easily replaceable by anyone of the devices they produce and which will have to remain on the market for at least 10 years. This measure also includes the batteries of PCs and smartphones.
Rechargeable and replaceable batteries, what changes
The EU is revolutionizing the electronics market by requiring the use of batteries that are more efficient and easier to dispose of. Starting in 2027, a series of minimum parameters of quality and duration for all rechargeable batteries: therefore it will no longer be possible to sell rechargeable batteries that are scarce and that deteriorate after a few discharge and discharge cycles.
At the same time, the European Union calls for the elimination of non-rechargeable batteries by 2027: the old batteries, those that once exhausted must be thrown away, can no longer be produced or sold. Starting in 2023, these batteries will need to be clearly labeled as “non-rechargeable”.
User replaceable batteries, what changes
The other proposal is the obligation from 2024 to return all batteries of electronic products user replaceable. The regulation provides that each battery can be replaced by the user with tools within everyone’s reach and that replacement do not damage the batteries or the device.
In addition to this, the batteries of electronic products, to promote the right to repair, must be available for at least 10 years from the date of release of the product starting from batteries for laptops, tablets and smartphones.
Battery revolution, the EU proposal in brief
The EU proposal provides:
- Clear and visible labeling for all non-rechargeable batterieswhich in any case will have to gradually disappear until, by 2027, devices powered exclusively by rechargeable batteries of good quality and capable of guaranteeing a minimum number of recharges;
- new rules related to the production of batterieswhich will have to be made with a minimum percentage of recycled materials by 2030 (a percentage which will then rise further by 2035);
- obligation to insert battery within the various devices that may be easily replaced by the user;
- availability of spare batteries for each product up to 10 years after its placing on the market.
New regulations for the disposal of batteries
According to the World Economic Forum, the world demand for batteries is set to increase by 1400% by 2030. Starting from 2030, batteries will have to be produced with a minimum percentage of recycled elements, a percentage destined to grow progressively until 2035.
In Europe alone we consume approximately 1.9 million tons of batteries, with the lead batteries which are the most recycled (about 99%) while in the case of different types it is around 48%. In recent years, among other things, it has become increasingly evident how lithium ions on which many had firmly believed at the beginning of their release on the market, are actually very expensive to recycle, and this is causing the industry to replace them with cobalt, nickel and copper.
In the EU regulation approved in recent days, the minimum levels for the amount of cobalt, lead, lithium and nickel that should be recovered from the waste with the aim of reusing them for the production of new batteries. In addition, stricter targets have been set for the collection of portable batteries.
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