Introduction to the Battery Directive (2006/66/EC):

EU 2006/66/EC (all limit requirements are for the content of the entire battery, not for homogeneous materials)

Scope: All types of batteries and batteries, regardless of their shape, volume, weight, material, composition, or usage differences. Excluding equipment related to the basic security interests, weapons, military supplies, and strategic material support of member states, as well as space equipment.

EU Battery Directive 2006/66/EC

The European Commission issued a new Battery and Battery Directive 2006/66/EC on September 26, 2006, which will replace the original Battery Directive 91/157/EEC and 98/101/EC. Member States shall commence mandatory enforcement of laws, regulations, and administrative orders related to the requirements of this Directive from September 26, 2008. The scope of application of the directive includes battery packs, portable batteries or batteries, automatic propulsion batteries or batteries, industrial batteries and batteries, and waste batteries or batteries.

The main content of the new directive:

The definition of batteries and battery packs; Revised the usage limits for mercury and cadmium in batteries; Label requirements for batteries; Revised labeling requirements for lead, mercury, and cadmium content; Determined the recycling rate target for discarded portable batteries; Prohibition of burying or incinerating waste batteries for industrial and automotive use; Added provisions on "producer responsibility"; The battery must be removable from the product (except for those that must be permanently connected to the battery due to safety, performance, medical or data integrity reasons); Starting from September 26, 2009, portable and automotive batteries should indicate their capacity on the label; Manufacturers (including those selling products with batteries and batteries) need to register in each member country.

2006/66/EC defines batteries, battery packs, and portable batteries:

Battery and battery: Any device that directly converts chemical energy into electrical energy, including one or more primary battery packs (non rechargeable type) or composed of one or more secondary battery packs (rechargeable type).

Battery pack: Any device that connects a battery to a battery and/or packs it into a single unit in a casing box to prevent users from intentionally separating or opening it.

Portable battery or battery: Any battery, button battery, battery pack or battery that meets the following requirements:

For sale; Can be carried by hand; It is neither an industrial battery or battery nor an automatic propulsion battery or battery.

2006/66/EC Limit Requirements for Hazardous Substances:

Prohibit the production and sale of batteries or batteries with mercury content exceeding 0.0005% (by weight, i.e. 5ppm) (exempted products: the mercury content of button batteries shall not exceed 2% by weight);

Prohibit the production and sale of portable batteries or batteries with cadmium content exceeding 0.002% by weight (exempted products: emergency and alarm systems, including emergency lighting; medical equipment; wireless power tools).

2006/66/EC requirements for battery labeling:

All batteries, batteries, and button batteries should be marked with a crossed wheeled trash can.

If the mercury (Hg) content in batteries exceeds 0.0005% (5ppm), or the cadmium (Cd) content exceeds 0.002% (20ppm), or the lead (Pb) content exceeds 0.004% (40ppm), the chemical symbol of the metal exceeding the limit should be attached to the crossed wheeled garbage bin mark, and the area occupied by the chemical symbol should be at least one-quarter of the crossed wheeled garbage bin mark.

If the battery or battery contains more than one of the above-mentioned metals, corresponding chemical symbols need to be attached separately. For example, if a battery contains more than 0.004% lead (Pb) and more than 0.0005% mercury (Hg), both Pb and Hg symbols should be added.

The symbol should cover 3% of the maximum area on one side of the battery, battery or battery pack, but should not exceed 5cmx5cm;

If the battery is cylindrical, the symbol should cover 1.5% of the surface area of the battery or battery, and not exceed 5cmx5cm; If the size of the symbol may be less than 0.5cm x 0.5cm due to area limitations, the battery, battery or battery pack itself does not need to be labeled, but relevant symbols with an area of no less than 1cm x 1cm should be printed on the packaging; Symbols should be clear, visible, and indelible.

Remarks:

The labeling limits for mercury and cadmium are the same as the regulatory content limits. Therefore, the Hg symbol actually only applies to button batteries, the Cd symbol only applies to exempted batteries and batteries, and other types of batteries and batteries with mercury or cadmium content exceeding the limit are prohibited from production and sales.

Batteries launched on the market before September 26, 2008 can continue to be sold without any time limit. Batteries sold in the market after this date should comply with the requirements of the new directive.

According to the new cadmium limit, nickel cadmium batteries can no longer be used (excluding exempted products), so nickel hydrogen (NiMH) batteries or lithium-ion (Li ion) batteries can only be used as substitutes.

Consumers should also be informed of the potential impacts of these substances, the correct disposal methods, detailed recycling and reuse plans, and the meanings of the symbols.