ARN Management Plan
Efficient, safe management
of batteries
The ARN Management Plan provides companies marketing batteries for the first time – namely, manufacturers and importers – with a collective solution for satisfying their obligations under the 2008 Battery Management Decree. The decree covers all car batteries and high-voltage (hv) batteries for hybrid cars and electric cars including the built-in car batteries that were previously covered by the End-of-Life Vehicles Management Decree.
ARN submits a combined notification on behalf of manufacturers and importers regarding how the batteries are collected and processed, and how the continuity of collection and processing is safeguarded at times when there is a negative residual value for batteries on the market. ARN also takes care of the annual reporting to the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment. This system reduces the administrative burden on the individual companies. With respect to the Battery Management Decree, ARN also provides a national network of collection points where private users can dispose of their car batteries free of charge. Private and business end users are informed of the location of these collection points through the media.
Cooperation with Stibat
To calculate the number of car batteries and HV batteries coming onto the market each year, ARN works closely with Stibat. Stibat is the implementing organization for portable and other industrial batteries. Stibat and ARN both use the online registration system myBatbase. For companies, this cooperation means that they can register the quantities of batteries online using the same system. MyBatbase automatically ensures that all data regarding car batteries and HV batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles are supplied to ARN. To calculate the number of car batteries and HV batteries collected and processed, ARN and Stibat also both use the online system MyBatteryBalance. In this system, collection companies and recycling companies register what they have collected and recycled.
Management contribution for ‘ordinary’ batteries
To take part in the ARN Management Plan, manufacturers and importers pay a management contribution for each battery that is marketed in the Netherlands. This management contribution is set annually. For 2010, the management contribution was 0.09 euro and it was lowered for 2011 to 0.07 euro (VAT exluded) per battery.
A total of 1,211,088 batteries and HV batteries were marketed in 2010:
- 500,221 built-in batteries in passenger cars
- 14,444 HV batteries for hybrid cars
- 696,423 other car batteries
20% of the total concerned motorized two-wheeled vehicles; 1% were batteries from trucks and special vehicles. In 2010, a total of 41,313 euro were added to the automotive batteries reserve, which is intended to enable the continued collection of end-of-life batteries if their residual value is negative.
In 2010, total expenses incurred by ARN with regard to the Management Plan amounted to 74,967 euro. This sum covered:
- Licence and service contract with Stibat for myBatbase.
- Communications with consumers as to where they can dispose of car batteries.
- Reporting to the Ministry of Public Housing, Regional Planning and the Environment (now the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment).
- Submitting a notification for new participants.
The automotive batteries reserve stood at 109,570 euro on December 31, 2010.
Management contribution for lithium-ion batteries
ARN has set the management contributions for recycling lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EV) for 2011 at:
- 180 euro (including 19% VAT) for lithium-ion batteries with a total weight of 100 kg or more.
- 90 euro (including 19% VAT) for lighter lithium-ion batteries with a total weight of less than 100 kg.
Both rates apply from January 1, 2011 for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles marketed in 2011.
In setting the management contributions, ARN took account of the safety aspects involved in the collection, storage and processing of high-voltage lithium-ion batteries. Still little is known about the possibilities for product reuse – so-called second life applications. One example of this is storage of energy from solar panels and from materials recycling. At the moment, the residual value of discarded lithium-ion batteries is negative. The cost of processing these batteries is very high.
In 2011, ARN will join a number of companies in the automotive industry and research institutes in Safebat, a large-scale investigation into battery safety in EV applications, second life and recycling. The results of this research will be used in setting the management contributions for 2012.
Developments in 2010
- The management contribution for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles was set on January 1, 2011.
Outlook for 2011
- The management contribution for car batteries and high-voltage NiMh batteries marketed in the Netherlands for the first time in 2011 will be set at 0.07 euro (plus VAT) per battery.
- The management contribution for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles marketed in the Netherlands for the first time in 2011 will be set at 180 euro (including 19% VAT) for batteries with a total weight of 100 kg or more and 90 euro (including 19% VAT) for batteries lighter than 100 kg.
- ARN will take part in the Safebat project – a largescale investigation into battery safety in EV applications, second life and recycling.
