EU battery recycling scheme hits the UK

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A European initiative to get the UK to start recycling batteries has launched today but there is still quite a mountain to climb to hit EU targets.

As of today, all shops that sell batteries will be forced to have a recycling point for people to return old batteries to in an attempt to make the UK recycle 10 per cent of its used batteries.

However, industry insiders have claimed we are only recycling three per cent right now and if we don’t hit targets the Government could be facing massive fines from Brussels.

Vince Armitage, divisional vice president of Varta Consumer Batteries UK, told The Daily Telegraph that the UK could face problems if the scheme isn’t publicised enough.

"Consumers will have to drive the recycling effort by taking their old batteries to dedicated collection points in retail outlets or municipal sites," he said.

"Not only is this problematic in itself, if householders don’t even know about the directive and the responsibility they have acquired overnight, then the whole recycling effort will fall down from the outset."

Environment minister Huw Irranca-Davies thinks the scheme will be a great success.

“This new legislation will make it easier for consumers to do the right thing whilst ensuring retailers fulfil their part of the bargain,” he said in a statement.

“Old batteries can cause harm to the environment when they are not recycled. The new approach to disposal of batteries will help to reduce the number of batteries that now end up in landfill.”

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