Jul 7 - EU Approves Law For Battery Recycling
Less than a week after California's implementation of its Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act, the European Union approved its own battery law Friday designed to standardize the recycling of batteries found in cell phones, laptops and other electronic devices (most being rechargeable). IDG News Service reports:
BRUSSELS -- The European Parliament signed off on a radical new law aimed at curbing pollution from used portable batteries, ending more than two years of debate among European lawmakers.Battery makers will also be forced to provide more accurate information about the performance of their products.
An overwhelming majority of parliamentarians approved the law with a show of hands yesterday. The official vote confirmed an agreement reached in May between the Parliament and the 25 national European Union governments.
Batteries contain a host of toxic materials, including cadmium, lead, and potassium hydroxide that has been deemed hazardous materials under California's Universal Waste Rule and have since been prohibited from the solid waste stream since February 8, 2006. CAW sponsored AB 2271 (Koretz) that would have established a Consumer Refund Value on all household batteries, but the bill stalled in the Assembly. CAW is currently working on phasing out the use of toxic materials in our computers with AB 2202 (Saldaña), which will next be heard in the Senate Committee on Appropriations in August.
What You Can Do:
- Learn more about the new Cell Phone and Battery Recycling Act that went into effect July 1
- Send an e-mail to your Legislator urging their support for AB 2002.