MEPs urge stricter EU controls on batteries

The European parliament's environment committee voted on Tuesday to strengthen EU controls on batteries.  The committee's position now goes to the parliament's plenary for its second reading on revised batteries legislation.

Drawing on proposals by parliamentary rapporteur Hans Blokland, the committee called for the law to require at least 40% of waste batteries to be collected by six years after entry into force, rising to a 60% collection rate by ten years.  In their first reading position, EU governments agreed on targets of 25% by six and 45% by ten years (ED 20/07/05 http://www.environmentdaily.com/19214).

For batteries other that lead-acid and cadmium types, the committee voted to raise a recycling target from 50% as agreed by ministers to 55%.  It accepted council targets for recycling of lead-acid and cadmium batteries.  But it voted to make the targets bite harder by deleting a provision that lead and cadmium in these types of batteries should be recycled as far as possible while avoiding excessive costs.

The committee voted against a council of ministers' decision to place the legislation on a dual environment-internal market legal base.  MEPs preferred a sole environment base.  The council's position would create "sloppy legislation", one member argued.

Some proposals to strengthen the directive tabled by Mr Blokland were rejected.  These included a ban on lead in portable batteries and a broadening of a ban on portable NiCad batteries to include all industrial and automotive NiCads as well.

The higher targets for battery collection could well come under pressure when the full parliament debates the legislation.  Speaking for the centre-right EPP - the parliament's largest political group - Caroline Jackson told committee members that the council's position had been about right.  Countries like the UK and Ireland would not be able to achieve more, she said.

Follow-up: European parliament environment committee http://www.europarl.eu.int/comparl/envi/default_en.htm, tel: +32 2 284 2111, plus rapporteur's report http://www.europarl.eu.int/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/pr/579/579597/579597en.pdf

and further amendments http://www.europarl.eu.int/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/am/584/584770/584770en.pdf.

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