Batteries waste management is a growing market across Europe principally because legislative pressure and impending deadlines are altering the way battery waste has been dealt with so far.
The EU Batteries Directive is one of the most dominant tools that has shaped the market demand, supported scientific advances and encouraged investment in the batteries waste management market. While automotive and industrial batteries have already achieved a high recycling percentage due to the economic benefits of recycling, the Directive now has stringent targets for the regulation of portable batteries, paving way for new opportunities for the market participants. "The new battery directive imposes collection targets and recycling efficiencies for all batteries and introduces extended producer responsibility (EPR) as a regulatory instrument," says the analyst of this research. "Therefore, the transposition of this directive is expected to have a radical impact on the countries that are not yet forerunners in this field."
The intensifying volumes of waste batteries in Europe widen the scope of market opportunities for battery disposal services companies. With fast-approaching deadlines for legislative compliance, the demand for efficient solutions and material recovery is on the rise.
However, the diverse nature of local legislation regarding batteries across the European Union has made the implementation as well as its potential interpretations extremely varied. "Waste management companies find it challenging to manage these variations arising from lack of clarity, unified registration and reporting requirements across member states in the EU," explains the analyst. "This has hampered development of an integrated unified waste management solution by these companies."