Technical Standard - Safe Collection of Waste Batteries

1. Technical Standard
Safe Collection of Waste Batteries
The increasing use of high performing mobile energy storage options in electrical
devices and electric vehicles leads to a considerable growth of the number of
collected batteries. In this context, the rapid increase of used lithium batteries
(both rechargeable and non rechargeable) plays a particular role. In many cases,
these systems still carry an unknown residual charge and hence may pose a
safety risk during storage, transport and recycling if not properly taken care of.
In order to ensure a safe collection of waste batteries it is recommended to
differentiate between the following three categories:
1. COMMON BATTERIES: Non-critical mixes and mono fractions of Zinc-
Carbon (ZnC), Zinc-Air (Zn-Air), Alkaline Manganese (AlMn), Lead (Pb)
and Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries. Tolerable quantity of lithium
cells and batteries is below a predefined maximum level.
2. HIGH ENERGY BATTERIES: Mono fractions of primary and secondary
lithium and Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) batteries and other types of batteries
with a high energy density, and battery mixes with a high concentration of
these batteries.
3. DAMAGED HIGH ENERGY BATTERIES – Damaged lithium batteries and
cells, potentially also future alternative technologies.
Appropriate measures, materials and procedures are required for packaging,
transport and recycling, in accordance with each of the respective categories.
Eucobat aisbl, April 2014
Eucobat aisbl - European Compliance Organizations for Batteries
Excelsiorlaan 91 - 1930 Zaventem – Belgium – Tel. +32 2 720 40 80 – info@eucobat.eu
EU Transparency Register: 924 840 110 791-74 - VAT: BE
0508 474 889