European Union’s Batteries Directive (2006/66/EC) was published on September 26, 2006 and had been enforced since September 26, 2008. It stipulates that all batteries or accumulators shall not contain more than 0.0005% (5 ppm) mercury by weight and cadmium shall not contain more than 0,002% by weight for portable batteries or accumulators.
Batteries with more than 40 ppm lead or 20 ppm cadmium must also be marked with the chemical symbol below the dustbin symbol. The chemical symbol shall cover an area of at least one quarter the size of that symbol.
The EU had released legislative proposals on December 10, aiming to create a legal framework on sustainability, traceability and circularity of battery production throughout its life cycle. The Regulation shall apply to all types of batteries and listed the four categories of batteries; namely portable batteries, automotive batteries, electric vehicle batteries and industrial batteries.
The new draft lays down the updates on restrictions and exemptions as following shown:
| RESTRICTED SUSTANCE |
REQUIRMENTS |
| Mercury |
1. Batteries, whether incorporated into appliances or not, shall not contain more than 0,0005 % of mercury (expressed as mercury metal) by weight |
| 2. Batteries used in vehicles to which Directive 2000/53/EC applies shall not contain more than 0,1% of mercury (expressed as mercury metal) by weight in homogeneous material |
| Cadmium |
1. Portable batteries, whether incorporated into appliances or not, shall not contain more than 0,002% of cadmium (expressed as cadmium metal) by weight |
2. The restriction set out in point 1 shall not apply to portable batteries intended for use in:
• emergency and alarm systems, including emergency lighting
• medical equipment |
| 3. Batteries used in vehicles to which Directive 2000/53/EC applies shall not contain more than 0,01% of cadmium (expressed as cadmium metal) by weight in homogeneous material (Not applicable to vehicles exempted from Annex II of Directive 2000/53/EC) |
The draft also puts forward new requirements for the sustainability and safety of batteries, including requirements for carbon footprint, renewable raw materials, electrochemical performance and durability, detachability and replaceability, safety, etc. The requirements on battery label and information, waste management and information traceability were also proposed. The draft is expected to come into effect on January 1, 2022, and the current battery directive will become invalid from July 1, 2023 except for certain provisions. The draft now is opened for public comments, and the consultation period will end on March 1, 2021.
SGS battery testing services can identify your target market regulations for cells, batteries and modules to ensure compliance with contractual or regulatory requirements.
Please contact our Customer Service Team for more information!