EU works on new legislation for user replaceable batteries

(Representative image: Reuters)

The European Union (EU) is hard at work on a new provisional agreement that would require device manufacturers to include user-replaceable batteries in their products.

Pocketnow reports that the move is driven by environmental concerns about e-waste. The Union wants its members to reduce carbon footprint and be more sustainable.

The publication reports that the new rule will cover all types of batteries that are sold in EU states, like portable batteries, SLI batteries which are used to power ignition and lighting for vehicles, LMT batteries or batteries used for light means of transport like bikes, and EV or electric vehicle batteries.

The rules will also mandate new measures for collecting used batteries and recovering materials like cobalt, lead, lithium and nickel. These will be used to make new batteries.

The collection of these old batteries will be handled entirely by manufacturers and the consumers don't need to pay any extra costs.

As per the information reported by Pocketnow, collection targets for old batteries "are set at 45% by 2023, 63% by 2027 and 73% by 2030 for portable batteries, and at 51% by 2028 and 61% by 2031 for LMT batteries."

There are also rules for a minimum percentage of raw materials recovered, 16 percent for cobalt, 6 percent for lithium, and 6 percent for nickel. This minimum will need to be used by manufacturers to make new batteries.

It will be mandatory for batteries to carry labels or QR codes that tell consumers about the capacity, performance, durability and composition along with a separate collection symbol.

EU has also set a deadline for its common charger directive, which requires manufacturers in the EU to support a single USB Type-C standard for charging. The deadline for all manufacturers to include USB Type-C charging support is December 28, 2023.