§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the environmental consequences of disposing of spent batteries to landfill. [156347]
§ Mr. MorleyThe main environmental concerns associated with the landfilling of batteries relate to the potential generation and discharge of leachate into the environment of hazardous substances i.e. cadmium, lead and mercury, all known to be toxic to the aquatic environment and human health. Discharge of these substances to the environment are likely to occur through(a) the compaction of weight, leading to substances discharging from the battery and (b) percolation of rainfall further leaching these substances into groundwater. It is however worth noting that spent batteries constitute only 0.1 per cent. of the Municipal Solid Waste stream.
The Belgian Government recently commissioned a study Targeted Risk Assessment Report, (TRAR) currently under scientific peer review, to identify the environmental impacts of disposing batteries in landfill.
1628WThe TRAR study mainly focused on cadmium containing batteries and concluded that the impact of batteries on landfill leachate could not be judged, based upon current lack of knowledge and methodology. In addition, risks related to the uncertainties of hazardous substances from batteries going to leachate, would require the adoption of risk management measures.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of batteries were recycled in each European Union country in the last year for which figures are available. [156348]
§ Mr. MorleyInformation on percentage of batteries recycled in European Union countries is not readily available for all battery chemistries. Member states have not been required to provide this in the past. However, officials are in the process of acquiring this data.
Portable battery collection rates are available for 2002 and are as follows.
Country Collection rate in percentage of
sales in 2002
Grams per inhabitant
Austria 44 179 Belgium 59 228 France 16 69 Germany 39 157 Netherlands 32 116 Sweden 55 193 Spain 14 61 UK 0.5 2
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many spent batteries, other than vehicle batteries, are generated each year in the United Kingdom; what quantity of each heavy metal is involved; and what percentage of these batteries are recycled. [156349]
§ Mr. MorleyNo studies have been undertaken, so far, to assess the quantities of batteries that enter the waste stream annually in the UK. However, we do know that in 2002, 45.5 per cent. of the annual sales of the 15 European member states, went for final disposal (incineration or landfill) instead of being collected and recycled.
The following quantities of heavy metals are found in each battery.
1629W
Recyclable materials of portable batteries. Percentage Non rechargeable general purpose battery Zinc 20 Manganese 20 Ferrous Metal 20 Copper 10 Non rechargeable button cell Zinc 26 Silver 34 Ferrous Metal 30
Recyclable materials of rechargeable batteries Percentage Nickel Cadmium Cadmium 15 Nickel 25 Steel 35 Nickel Metal Hydride Nickel 40 Steel 18 Lithium Ion Acier 22 Cobalt 17 The European Battery Recycling Association (EBRA) estimated that the UK sent 424 tonnes of nickel cadmium batteries, 45 tonnes of nickel metal hydride and 38 tonnes of zinc carbon, alkali and zinc air batteries for recycling in 2002.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will make a statement on the preparedness of(a) her Department and (b) the UK to meet the targets in the draft EU Directive on batteries and accumulators and spent batteries and accumulators; [156362]
(2) what steps she is taking to increase the percentage of batteries other than vehicle batteries that are recovered from the waste stream. [156346]
§ Mr. MorleyThe draft Batteries Directive requires member states to achieve collection targets for household batteries (44 per cent.) and household Nickel Cadmium batteries (80 per cent.), and that all automotive and industrial batteries are collected and sent for recycling. At present, the UK is collecting less than one per cent. of household batteries and in 2002, 87 per cent. of the total automotive batteries put on the market were collected and sent for recycling. HMG will be commissioning work, in the near future, to obtain data on the collection and recycling rates of industrial batteries.
The Government welcome the draft Directive. Defra and DTI are already in talks with those stakeholders affected by the proposal and are looking at ways to secure early participation, to enable the UK to successfully meet the collection target within the given timeframe. In addition, both Departments are fully involved in discussions with the Commission and the European Parliament, to ensure that targets for the collection and recycling of household batteries are challenging, but achievable.