Strategy of the European Portable Battery Association  Circular Economy

Introduction: EPBA and sustainability

The European Portable Battery Association (EPBA) is the authoritative voice of the portable power industry. The association supports the common interests of its members regarding portable batteries and battery chargers with European institutions and other leading international bodies to provide consumers with complete power solutions which are sustainable across their life-cycle.

EPBA members have consistently made progress over the years in terms of reducing the environmental impact of its products and raising awareness of different aspects of battery use.   Back in 1985, EPBA members launched an important and wholly voluntary initiative to remove mercury from alkaline and zinc batteries, a program that was successfully completed in 1994, six years before relevant legislation came into force.   Another of our objectives involved the substitution of mercuric oxide batteries. EPBA has repeatedly supported the implementation of a ban on mercury button cells, which Directive 2013/56/EU on Batteries put in place in October 2015.

Since 1995, EPBA has gained a wealth of experience in setting up and working with national waste battery collection and recycling organisations (CROs) to help our members meet their producer responsibility obligations. Subsequent to the Battery Directive 2006/66/EC, compliance organisations were already set up in (almost) all member states, allowing EPBA members to engage in producer responsibility practices before the legislation was in place.

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