Toxic Batteries Light Up Government Recycling Failure

Friday, 16 November 2007 22:01

An Extended Producer Responsibility Rationale for Used Lead Acid Batteries calls for governments to impose a refundable deposit on car batteries sold for DIY consumers to ensure they are brought back for recycling. 

“Recycling is far more important than retaining a sloppy waste collection system that lets batteries contaminate resource recovery operations.  If governments are serious about supporting recycling, they’ll ensure that DIY consumers have an incentive to return them,” said Jane Castle, TEC’s Resource Conservation Campaigner.

“If only one battery contaminates 25 tonnes of compost, then up to a million could cripple municipal recycling operations Australia-wide.  Government action is long overdue.”

The report questions industry claims that 96% of used car batteries are recycled.  It shows that each lead acid battery costs recyclers $62.50 in additional labour, equipment, maintenance and opportunity costs.  This creates a potential barrier of $31 million to municipal waste recycling across Australia.  As recycling avoids the greenhouse emissions from landfill, the batteries could also prohibit 3.7 million tonnes of greenhouse emissions being avoided by 2010.

“Australia is falling behind countries like Germany, the US, and Canada where laws ensure that batteries don’t contaminate compost or end up in landfills.  A deposit on every battery sold would pull batteries out of kerbside bins.  People need a clear incentive to take their batteries back.”

The NSW Government has identified lead acid batteries as a “waste of concern” and a candidate for an extended producer responsibility scheme.  However, the NSW Minister for Environment has so far opted for a voluntary approach, with little success.

“A high deposit on all lead acid batteries where there is no trade-in of another battery would directly target the DIY market without the need for implementing a deposit on all batteries.”