The Dutch WEEE and battery take back scheme Stichting Open published an update concerning the status quo of the new battery regulation implementation. Below we share the key points from their summary concerning mostly one of the 5 new categories: industrial batteries.
- The Netherlands (as well as all other EU countries) is delayed in implementing the Battery Regulation, meaning producers are still unable to fully meet their obligations—even individually.
- Due to legal and financial risks, establishing a collective producer organization for the category of industrial batteries is currently not a viable option.
- Stichting OPEN, Holland Solar, ESNL, SBFN, and SMR are in dialogue with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) to develop practical solutions for industrial batteries, including a realistic implementation pathway.
- In the meantime, companies placing industrial batteries on the market must prepare by keeping track of all relevant information about the import and sale of industrial batteries in their own records.
- Producers of the other four battery categories (portable, start/lighting/ignition, electric vehicles, and light means of transport) do not need to take action yet. Approval applications for these are being prepared by the collective collection systems: Stichting OPEN, Auto Recycling Nederland, and Scooter Recycling Nederland. These collective applications will be submitted to Rijkswaterstaat by August 18.
The detailed Newsletter from Stichting Open can be obtained from Go4Recycling upon request.
If you have any further questions on packaging, WEEE, battery and textile compliance in The Netherlands please do not hesitate to contact the Go4Recycling team.