Bjerregaard fights to win ban on cadmium batteries

Date: 28/01/1999

By Peter Chapman

A FIERCE battle is expected within the European Commission over proposals drawn up by environment officials to ban the use of cadmium in rechargeable batteries and introduce tough new rules on recycling.

Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard faces an uphill battle to win over sceptics in other departments who sympathise with the battery industry's argument that a cadmium ban is unnecessary because firms have already pledged to collect and recycle large quantities of batteries containing the metal by 2008.

Opponents of the plan within the Commission include industry and trade officials who fear the proposed rules would impose additional costs on businesses and might be construed as a barrier to foreign firms seeking to import products into the EU.

Bjerregaard is expected to seek support from other European Commissioners for the cadmium ban, which would outlaw a key ingredient in 70% of all rechargeable batteries in the EU from 2008, at a meeting in March. She will also seek their backing for proposals to ensure that member states set up collection and recycling schemes for all types of battery early next century.

"The batteries proposal is almost ready to go," said a top aide to the Danish Commissioner.

Under the plan, batteries containing more than tiny amounts of cadmium would be outlawed. This would effectively ban the nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries used to power a wide range of appliances from power drills to notebook computers. Member states would be able to grant exemptions, but only where it was totally impractical for alternatives to be used.

Calls for a ban have been prompted by evidence that the metal can cause kidney problems and pose a potential cancer risk if it seeps into the water supply once old products are dumped.

Bjerregaard's call for measures to ensure that member states establish schemes for taking back and recycling up to 75% of all batteries two years after the directive is implemented are likely to spark less controversy than the proposed cadmium ban.

Some EU member states are already adopting rules similar to those set to be proposed by Bjerregaard which force manufacturers to collect and recycle all kinds of batteries.

Bjerregaard's initiative comes as officials in the Directorate-General for the environment (DGXI) are finalising another hugely controversial plan to harmonise national schemes for recycling electronic waste.