The Battery Regulatory Framework
The Battery Act (BattG in short) implements the European Waste Battery Directive as part of German law and regulates "the placing on the market, return and environmentally sound disposal of batteries and accumulators".
The Changing Battery Law
Arising from the European Directive on Waste Batteries, the Battery Act defines which batteries are covered, which legal obligations need to be fulfilled, by whom and how. These obligations primarily include manufacturers, battery importers and distributors as well as public waste management authorities, initial treatment facilities, end users and take-back systems (such as GRS Batterien). A distinction is made between portable, industrial and automotive batteries. If they are non-rechargeable or only partially rechargeable electrical storage devices, they are referred to as primary cells. Secondary cells are accumulators, also known as rechargeable storage elements, which are also considered batteries.
Batteries as Dangerous Goods
Safely on The Move
Lithium batteries and cells have a very high energy density, which can pose risks for transport and storage if not handled properly. Depending on their weight and condition, these high-energy batteries are therefore subject to special safety requirements which are laid out in the ADR, the "Requirements of the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road". There are also national regulations, e.g. the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG), which must be taken into account. To this end, GRS Batterien has established a safety standard that sets a benchmark: besides specifying the supply of special containers, the standard also covers the provision of extensive information and training material.