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Q1 UK Battery Compliance Data for 2026
Q1 UK Battery Compliance Data saw an 8% increase (723 tonnes) in the volume of portable batteries being placed on the UK market (POM) from this time last year. There was a 17% decrease (71 tonnes) in portable Lead Acid batteries, but a 9% increase (800 tonnes) in portable Other batteries.
The Environment Agency published the Q1 UK Battery Compliance Data for 2026 on 1st June 2026.
Portable batteries placed on the UK market (POM)
Q1 2026 saw an 8% increase (723 tonnes) in the volume of portable batteries being placed on the UK market (POM) from this time last year. There was a 17% decrease (71 tonnes) in portable Lead Acid batteries, but a 9% increase (800 tonnes) in portable Other batteries.
Q1 2026 Batt POM - TABLE
The charts below compare portable batteries placed onto the UK market in quarter 1 over the last four years (2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026).
Total UK Batt POM Q1 2026 Analysis - Chart
Lead Acid UK Batt POM Q1 2026 Analysis - Chart
NiCd UK Batt POM Q1 2026 Analysis - Chart
Other UK Batt POM Q1 2026 Analysis - Chart
Waste portable batteries collected
The Q1 2026 waste portable batteries collection data shows a -34% overall decrease from this time last year (Q1 2025), mainly due to a significant decrease in waste portable lead acid battery collections (-52%), but also waste portable Other battery collections (-12%).
Q1 2026 Batt Collected - TABLE
Overall, the Q1 2026 waste portable batteries collection volume of 4,849 tonnes is a sharp decline on recent volumes collected in Quarter 1, and the lowest since 2020
The charts below compare the volumes of waste portable batteries collected in quarter 1 over the last four years (2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026).
Total UK Batt Collected Q1 2026 Analysis - Chart
Lead Acid UK Batt Collected Q1 2026 Analysis - Chart
NiCd UK Batt Collected Q1 2026 Analysis - Chart
Other UK Batt Collected Q1 2026 Analysis - Chart
When comparing volumes of Lead acid and ‘Other’ waste portable batteries collected quarter on quarter since 2016, ‘Other’ waste battery collections exceeded lead acid collections on only 3 occasions (Q4 2016, Q4 2017 and Q4 2018) until Q3 2025.
Lead Acid-Other UK Collection Analysis - Chart
So why are the volumes of waste portable lead acid batteries being reported declining so much? We are aware one of the UK’s exporters of lead acid batteries ceased trading in 2026, and that overall, exports of waste portable lead acid batteries have reduced. We are also aware that the environment agencies have become increasingly stringent in their requirements for Approved Battery Treatment Operators (ABTOs) wishing to issue evidence from portable lead acid batteries.
As a result, it is difficult to know whether the Q1 data reflects a short-term situation, or is the biggest sign yet that the UK’s previous dependence on lead acid battery evidence to meet obligations is changing?
Outlook for the compliance year
Based on the Q1 2026 data, the UK collection rate for 2026 is 11.02%, which is 24.49% towards the 2026 target (45%).
Progress to UK 2026 Target (Batt) - Chart.
Author: Steve Smith, Compliance & Quality Manager, ERP UK
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