Producer Obligations under the Directive

"Producer" means any person in a Member State that, irrespective of the selling technique used, including by means of distance communication, places batteries or accumulators, including those incorporated into appliances or vehicles, on the market for the first time within the territory of that Member State on a professional basis. These obligations include:

• By 26 September 2008, electrical and electronic equipment design must enable removal of incorporated batteries and accumulators.
• By 26 September 2009, producers to provide for treatment and recycling using best available techniques (BAT).
• Batteries and accumulators collected with waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) must be removed.
• Specified recycling efficiencies to be achieved by 26 September 2011.
• By 26 September 2008, producer obligation to finance the collection, treatment and recycling of all waste batteries and accumulators and net costs associated with public information campaigns applies irrespective of when placed on the market.
• Producers will have to be registered.
• Producers must ensure that batteries placed on the market from 26 September 2008 onwards must comply with the directive including
  • batteries must display visibly, legibly and indeliby; wheelie bin and chemical symbols
  • batteries that do not comply with the Directive must be withdrawn
  • batteries must not contain excess quantities of mercury and cadmium