Key Terms
- Battery / Accumulator
- Any source of electrical energy generated by direct conversion of chemical energy, consisting of one or more primary (non-rechargeable) or secondary (rechargeable) cells [Art. 3(1)].
- Portable battery
- A sealed battery or accumulator that can be hand-carried and is neither an industrial nor an automotive battery — includes AA, AAA cells and batteries in consumer electronics [Art. 3(3)].
- Automotive battery
- Any battery or accumulator used for automotive starter, lighting or ignition power (SLI batteries) [Art. 3(5)].
- Industrial battery
- Any battery designed for exclusively industrial or professional uses, or used in electric vehicles such as electric cars, wheelchairs or airport vehicles [Art. 3(6)].
- Producer
- Any person who places batteries or accumulators on the market for the first time within a Member State on a professional basis, including via distance selling [Art. 3(12)].
- Collection rate
- The weight of waste portable batteries collected in a calendar year, divided by the average weight of portable batteries sold to end-users in that year and the preceding two years [Art. 3(17)].
- Recycling
- The reprocessing of waste materials in a production process for their original purpose or for other purposes, excluding energy recovery [Art. 3(8)].
- Extended producer responsibility (EPR)
- The principle that producers finance the net costs of collection, treatment, recycling and public information for waste batteries and accumulators [Art. 16]. A cornerstone of EU waste policy carried forward into the successor Regulation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which batteries and accumulators does Directive 2006/66/EC cover?
The Directive applies to all types of batteries and accumulators regardless of shape, volume, weight, material composition or use [Art. 2(1)]. It distinguishes three categories: portable batteries (sealed, hand-carried, not industrial or automotive — Art. 3(3)), automotive batteries (used for starter, lighting or ignition — Art. 3(5)), and industrial batteries (designed for industrial/professional use or electric vehicles — Art. 3(6)). Only batteries for military equipment and space applications are excluded [Art. 2(2)].
What are the substance restrictions for batteries placed on the EU market?
Batteries containing more than 0.0005 % mercury by weight are banned [Art. 4(1)(a)], with an exception for button cells up to 2 % mercury [Art. 4(2)]. Portable batteries exceeding 0.002 % cadmium by weight are also banned [Art. 4(1)(b)], with exemptions for emergency/alarm systems, medical equipment and cordless power tools [Art. 4(3)], though the cordless-power-tool exemption was subject to Commission review [Art. 4(4)].
What collection rate targets did Member States have to meet?
Member States had to achieve a minimum portable battery collection rate of 25 % by 26 September 2012 and 45 % by 26 September 2016 [Art. 10(2)]. The collection rate is calculated as the weight of waste portable batteries collected in a given year, divided by the average weight of portable batteries sold in that year and the preceding two calendar years [Art. 3(17), Annex I].
What are the recycling efficiency requirements?
By 26 September 2011, recycling processes had to meet minimum efficiencies: 65 % by average weight for lead-acid batteries, 75 % for nickel-cadmium batteries, and 50 % for all other waste batteries and accumulators [Annex III, Part B]. Lead and cadmium content must be recycled to the highest technically feasible degree without excessive costs.
Is Directive 2006/66/EC still in force?
No. Directive 2006/66/EC was repealed by Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 (the new Batteries and Waste Batteries Regulation) with effect from 18 August 2025. The successor Regulation is directly applicable in all Member States and introduces additional obligations including due diligence policies, carbon footprint declarations and digital battery passports. However, national transposition measures may remain relevant during the transition.
Who bears the costs for collection, treatment and recycling of waste batteries?
Producers — or third parties acting on their behalf — must finance the net costs of collecting, treating and recycling all waste batteries collected under the Directive, as well as public information campaigns [Art. 16(1), Art. 16(3)]. These costs must not be shown separately to end-users at the point of sale for portable batteries [Art. 16(4)]. For industrial and automotive batteries, producers and users may agree on alternative financing arrangements [Art. 16(5)].
What labelling requirements apply to batteries?
All batteries must bear the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol (Annex II), covering at least 3 % of the largest side up to a maximum of 5 x 5 cm [Art. 21(4)]. Capacity must be visibly and indelibly indicated on portable and automotive batteries [Art. 21(2)]. Batteries exceeding 0.0005 % Hg, 0.002 % Cd or 0.004 % Pb must display the corresponding chemical symbol beneath the wheeled-bin symbol, covering at least one quarter of its area [Art. 21(3)].
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