Proposal to amend the Waste Management Licensing Regulations (NI) 2003 to minimise the negative impact of recycling waste batteries and accumulatorsThe purpose of this Department of the Environment (“the Department”) consultation is to invite views on a proposal to amend the Waste Management Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003. This is necessary to implement EU Regulation No 493/2012 .
This Regulation amends an earlier EU Directive, Directive 2006/66/EC, which minimised the negative impact of batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators on human health and the environment. It established rules regarding the placing on the market of batteries and accumulators containing hazardous substances and specific rules for the collection, treatment, recycling and disposal of waste batteries and accumulators. Furthermore, it prohibited the disposal of waste batteries and accumulators in landfills or by incineration.
The effect of the Regulation in amending Directive 2006/66/EC will be the laying down of detailed rules regarding the calculation of recycling efficiencies of the recycling process of waste batteries and accumulators.