Portable Batteries: Collection Rates Decline

According to new Eurostat data, the EU’s collection rate for portable batteries and accumulators reached 46.5% in 2022. This falls short of both current expectations and upcoming targets set by the new EU Batteries Regulation 2023/1542.

Although collection rates had steadily increased prior to 2019, peaking at 51.4%, they declined in the following years despite continued growth in battery sales.

Between 2019 and 2022, batteries placed on the market rose by 18%, outpacing the 11% growth in collection volumes.

Barriers to higher collection rates include:

• mixing batteries with other waste streams
• longer battery lifetimes
• stockpiling in households, and
• limited public awareness

As part of the EU’s broader Zero Pollution Action Plan, new targets for portable batteries set in the EU Batteries Regulation require producers to reach 63% collection rates by 2027 and 73% by 2030.

Landbell Group does not consider the current way that collection rates are calculated to be a good indicator of collection performance. The Group has consistently advocated for collection rates to be based on quantities available for collection, rather than quantities placed on the market.

This concern was also addressed in the EU Batteries Regulation, empowering the Commission to adopt delegated acts to amend the methodology to calculate the collection rate for portable batteries by 18 August 2027.