ACS

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has launched a battery supply calculator to help retailers discover if they have obligations as distributors under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Act.

From 1 February 2010, retailers that sell over 32kg of batteries over the course of a year will be obliged to take back used batteries from the public free of charge. The measure is part of DEFRA’s plans to move battery recycling rates from 2 per cent in 2007 to 25 per cent in 2012.

Those retailers who have to comply will need to choose a Battery Compliance Scheme, which enables the retailers to have recycled batteries collected free of charge.

The calculator can either be used to work out the average supply over a single month, or for a twelve month period.

If you would like to use the new DEFRA battery usage calculator, click here.

For more information on batteries, please contact Jenny Brown on 01252 515001 or take a look at our advice section.