• Home
  • Foreword
• Introduction
  • Acknowledgements and contributors
  • Using the guide
  • Abbreviations
  • Who should use the guide
  • What is HHW?
  • Data on the number of HWRCs accepting trade waste and tonnage data
  • Dealing with trade waste
  • Waste Strategy for England
  • Local authority waste pages
  • Business resource efficiency and waste advice
• Legislation
• Definition of waste
• The European Waste Catalogue (EWC)
• The Hazardous Waste Regulations
• What is hazardous waste
• The Hazardous Waste Regulations (and domestic waste)
• Asbestos
• Seperately collected fractions
• The Hazardous Waste Regulations (and business waste)
• Premises notification
• Site inspections
• Consignment notes and acceptance at transfer stations
• Record keeping, inventory and consignee returns
• Duty of care
• Health and safety
• Environmental permitting
• Landfill
• Staff competencies
• Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations
• Restriction of Hazardous Substances Regulations
• International shipment of waste
• Manufacture and use of chemicals
• Regulations in the devolved administrations
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland
  • Cross-UK border issues
• European legislation in development
• Producer responsibility
  • Batteries
  • Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment(WEEE)
  • End of Life Vehicles (ELV)
  • Decorative paint
• Key issues
  • Contracts and service specifications
  • Risk assessments
  • Site security
  • Segregating HHW from households
  • Minimum service provision
  • Separation of HHW items from mixed waste containers
  • Disposal costs
  • The Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) (Amendment) CHIP Regulations 2005
  • Staff competences and training
  • Communication with householders and businesses
    • Signage
    • Verbal communication
    • Leaflets, Press releases and websites
• Case studies
• Minimising trade abuse at Haverton Hill HWRC
• Managing HHW at Redbridge Household Waste Recycling Centre
• Communicating with SMEs
• Accepting SME wastes in West Sussex
  • Managing hazardous WEEE, specifically TVs and fridges
  • Acccepting household type WEEE from Businesses
• Collecting IT WEEE from business in Scotland
• Distributor Take Back Scheme (WEEE)
• Battery collections
• Hampshire County Council's Waste Acceptance Policy
• Cost of collecting chemicals and other HHW at HWRCs
• Communication with the public on HHW issues
• Corporation of London householder and SME collection
• Dealing with traders at Durham County Council HWRCs
• Fly-tipping
• Private sector collections from SMEs
• Community RePaint
• Case Studies available on external websites
• Links
• Household Hazardous Type Waste Products List

The Batteries Directive will affect all businesses involved during the life cycle of batteries. This includes producers, distributors and end users. It will also impact on those businesses that collect, recycle and/or recover batteries from the waste stream.
There are many different types of batteries that businesses may use; it is useful to define them in terms of the European Waste Catalogue (EWC). The table below highlights the different batteries and their status in the EWC.

Businesses should ensure that any batteries they dispose of that are hazardous are dealt with appropriately (e.g. not mixed with general non-hazardous waste). Over ordering non-rechargeable batteries and storing them is not good practice as they lose a small amount of their charge over time. When using rechargeable batteries always ensure manufactures instructions are followed, this will lead to longer life of the batteries and reduce the cost to the business, in terms of disposal etc. Further detail is provided in the legislation section of the Guide.

Producers

There are many different routes for batteries to enter the market and a business will be bound by producer obligations if it is a:

• domestic manufacturer
• business that assembles battery packs
• importer supplying to retailers or wholesale customers
• importers supplying batteries (inclusive of battery packs) to electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) producers
• importers that are themselves retailers
• businesses that place batteries on the market in EEE or in vehicles.

This is because “producer” means 'any person, in a Member State that, irrespective of selling technique used, including by means of distance communication, places batteries or accumulators, including those incorporated into appliances or vehicles, on the market for the first time'.

Waste generator

There is no obligation for businesses to recycle their batteries however if the UK is to meet its collection targets for portable batteries, the business community needs to be involved. In general, there is a lack of awareness of battery recycling. One method of recycling waste batteries is through a battery box scheme. An example can be found in the case study. WRAP can also provide advice.
The latest information on this Directive can be found at BERR.