BSIA: Installers should get prepared for Battery Directive

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Wednesday, 27, Aug 2008 12:00

The British Security Industry Association is advising installers to get prepared for the forthcoming EU Battery Directive - the latest piece of environmental legislation which is due to impact next year.

The new directive aims to reduce the environmental impact of waste batteries that are currently disposed of in landfill sites by ensuring that instead the batteries are collected, treated and where possible recycled. This new piece of legislation covers portable batteries (e.g. torch batteries, AA, C Cell etc); industrial batteries (intruder alarm panel lead acid batteries); and vehicle batteries.

BSIA Technical Director, Alex Carmichael, comments: "Installers may believe that this new piece of legislation only affects those producers who supply batteries. However, this is not the case. It will be up to the installer to collect the batteries wherever possible and dispose of them in the correct waste stream. Installers already collect lead acid batteries for disposal. In the future it is expected that installers will collect the small AA and C Cell type batteries and return them to the waste stream instead of just throwing them in the bin. A simple method of achieving this is by having a battery box in the engineer's van."

"The new regulations will set in place a national waste mechanism for battery collection and also describes: battery labelling requirements; restrictions on the type of materials batteries can be made of; and requirements for the ease of battery removal from an appliance. The BSIA and its members are looking at the necessary systems to put in place to ensure compliance with

the new regulations and to meet the 29th September 2009 deadline when the full requirements come into effect."

"The Battery Directive is a worthy piece of legislation and will make a real contribution to protecting the environment. It is now up to the industry to ensure that its businesses are prepared to make the introduction of the legislation as seamless as possible."

For more information on the Battery Directive, visit www.berr.gov.uk/sectors/sustainability/batteries/page30610.html

Editor’s Notes

The British Security Industry Association is the trade association covering all aspects of the professional security industry in the UK. Its 570 members provide over 70% of UK security products and services and adhere to strict quality standards. For more information see www.bsia.co.uk, email info@bsia.co.uk or telephone 0845 389 3889.

Press contact: Naomi Ocansey 0845 389 0741 n.ocansey@bsia.co.uk

Kiri Gray 0845 389 0755 k.gray@bsia.co.uk