Pressure grows for battery ban

Date: 05/11/1998

By Simon Coss

MOVES towards an EU-wide ban on the sale of batteries containing the 'heavy' metals cadmium and mercury are gathering momentum.

Late last month, a committee of national experts endorsed European Commission proposals to outlaw batteries containing more than 5 parts per million (ppm) of mercury by 2000. This would amount to an effective ban as 5ppm is similar to 'background' levels of mercury which occur naturally. Plans to ban batteries containing cadmium by 2008 have also been drawn up by Commission environment officials.

The move stems from concern about the potential risk to human health if these elements enter the food chain. In large quantities, they can cause kidney problems and are potentially carcinogenic.

While banning mercury in batteries would have a relatively minor impact as only about 2% of those on sale in the EU contain the element, nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries are used to power a wide variety of appliances from power drills and laptop computers to electric shavers, and account for around 70% of rechargeable battery sales.

If batteries were systematically recycled the health risk would be very low, but the Commission estimates that only between 5 and 15% are disposed of safely. The rest are discarded with household waste and end up in landfill sites, allowing chemicals to leach into the soil and enter the food chain.

But the European Portable Battery Association argues DGXI's plans go too far, pointing out that the industry has pledged to ensure all NiCd batteries are recycled.

Moves towards an EU-wide ban on the sale of batteries containing the 'heavy' metal cadmium and mercury are gathering momentum.