"Available for Collection" study on alternative collection targets for waste portable and light means of transport batteries

This study provides the technical background to consider the setting of a collection target for portable batteries and batteries powering light means of transport (LMT), in the light of the evolution of their market share. This work contributes to the preparation of the implementation of the draft Battery regulation proposed by the European Commission in December 2020, especially concerning collection provisions for waste portable batteries. This study is intended to provided additional evidence to the discussion on targets for the collection of waste batteries, in addition to the information presented in the EC Document SWD(2020)335. The Commission proposal for a Regulation on Batteries (COM(2020)798 final) includes targets for the collection rate of waste portable batteries based on the Batteries Directive (EC/2006/66), which makes use of the Placed On The Market approach (POM). For the moment, these targets exclude batteries powering Light Means of Transport (LMT). Instead, the proposal contains a review clause that requires the setting of a separate collection target for waste batteries powering LMT in the light of the evolution of the market. This review could consider introducing a calculation methodology for the calculation of the separate collection rate with a view to reflecting the quantity of waste batteries available for collection. In view of the initial reactions from the EU co-legislators, the Commission took on the commitment to explore the possibility to establish collection rate targets based on the quantities available for collection, including as regards LMT batteries, in the ongoing legislative process. The assessment of a possible definition of batteries in LMT products, their potential market evolution and various options for modernising the collection targets for waste portable and LMT batteries aims therefore to support that process. Due to the complexity of the topic and in order to disentangle various factors mutually affecting both the definition of LMT and the collection target, a structured reasoning is hereby proposed in this report supporting the decision process, substantiated by a parallel quantitative assessment.