Official requirements for car starter batteries guaranteed by ARN

Importers responsible
As a consequence of the EU Battery Directive 2006/66/EG, European Member States must monitor the collection and processing of discarded portable batteries, industrial batteries and accumulators, and automotive batteries and accumulators. In the Netherlands, these tasks are the responsibility of the importers.

Collection network and recycling
In relation to car starter batteries, the RAI Vereniging asked ARN to draw up a collective statement in which ARN guarantees to meet the official requirements with respect to the collection network and the recycling.

National coverage
There are separate requirements related to the collection and recycling of each of the three categories of batteries and accumulators (portable, industrial, automotive). One requirement applies specifically to car starter batteries, namely to have a nationwide battery collection network that is available free of charge to individual end-users.

Permit
ARN has fulfilled this requirement by making its national network of car dismantling companies accessible to individual end-users who wish to hand in discarded car starter batteries without charge. Participating car dismantling companies hold provincial environmental permits, which means that they can accept discarded car starter batteries from both individuals and companies. Handing in by individual end-users is free of charge.

MyBatBAse
In order to generate the necessary monitoring information about car starter batteries that are brought onto the market, ARN uses the MyBatBAse database system developed by STIBAT. This system registers the weight of imported batteries by type and subsequently adds up the total weight of all imported batteries per importer. In this way, the total weight of batteries brought onto the market by all participating importers is established.

Reporting
Battery collection companies are collaborating with ARN’s monitoring system, allowing ARN to produce reports on the total weight of car batteries that have been collected and transported to processing companies for recycling.

Approved
ARN submitted a collective statement on behalf of approximately 75 participating importers on 24 December 2008. It was approved on 20 April 2009 by order of the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM).