HC Deb 18 January 1990 vol 165 cc354-6W
Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many alkaline manganese batteries containing more than 0.10 per cent. of mercury by weight were sold in the United Kingdom in each of the last three years.

Mr. Forth

Sales of alkaline manganese batteries in the United Kingdom during the last three years have averaged 200 million units per year (based on an estimate for 1989). The mercury content of such batteries is being reduced in accordance with a European battery industry reduction programme which began in 1986:

  • 1986 from 1 per cent. to 0.5 per cent.
  • 1988 from 0.5 per cent. to 0.3 per cent.
  • 1990 from 0.3 per cent. to 0.1 per cent.
  • 1992 from 0.1 per cent. to 0.025 per cent.

During 1987 and 1988 all these batteries contained more than 0.1 per cent. of mercury by weight but during 1989 batteries containing less than 0.1 per cent. were introduced to the United Kingdom market and by the end of 1990 all alkaline manganese batteries supplied to the trade are expected to be below this level.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the percentage of batteries and accumulators sold within the United Kingdom that are marked to indicate whether the battery or accumulator must be disposed of separately, can be recycled, or may be disposed of with household refuse.

Mr. Forth

The information is not available. There is at present no requirement for batteries and accumulators to be so marked, but a modified draft directive covering certain of these products and containing proposals for their labelling has recently been published by the European Commission. Negotiations have yet to begin on the final form of the directive.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has undertaken to promote the marketing of batteries and accumulators containing smaller quantities of dangerous substances or less polluting substances.

Mr. Forth

Encouraging the production of batteries and accumulators containing lower levels of substances such as lead, mercury and cadmium is one of the objectives of a modified draft directive recently published by the European Commission. Negotiations have yet to begin on the final form of the directive, but it would not be sensible for the Government to act independently and in advance of its completion. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom primary battery industry has made good progress in voluntarily reducing the levels of mercury in many of its products.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that consumers are fully informed about the dangers of uncontrolled disposal of spent batteries and accumulators;

(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that consumers are fully informed about the dangers of uncontrolled disposal of spent batteries and accumulators.

Mr. Forth

Consumer information programmes are proposed in a modified draft directive on batteries and accumulators containing dangerous substances recently published by the European Commission. Negotiations have yet to begin on the final form of the directive, but it would not be sensible for the Government to act independently in advance of its completion.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to inform consumers of the method of removing batteries and accumulators which are built into appliances.

Mr. Forth

The removability of batteries from appliances is one of the issues covered in a modified draft directive on batteries and accumulators containing dangerous substances recently published by the European Commission. Negotiations have yet to begin on the final form of the directive, but it would not be sensible for the Government to act independently in advance of its completion.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to set up a deposit system for batteries and accumulators.

Mr. Forth

None. Deposit systems are mooted as a possible means of encouraging the return, for recycling or controlled disposal, of spent batteries and accumulators containing dangerous substances in a modified draft directive recently published by the European Commission. Negotiations have yet to begin on the final form of the directive.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department has taken to reduce the heavy metal content in batteries and accumulators.

Mr. Forth

Reductions in heavy metal content are among the objectives of a modified draft directive on batteries and accumulators containing dangerous substances recently published by the European Commission. Negotiations have yet to begin on the final form of the directive, the environmental aims of which the Government welcome.