What are the Batteries and Accumulators (placing on the market) Regulations?
The Batteries and Accumulators (Placing on the Market) Regulations 2008 aim to control the use of mercury and cadmium in batteries. It also states that batteries must be marked appropriately and that they can be readily removed from appliances for end of life disposal. The Regulations apply to all types of batteries and those placing them on the market.
Working in partnership with the policy lead at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The National Measurement Office (NMO) is the market surveillance authority responsible for enforcing the Batteries and Accumulators (Placing on the Market) Regulations 2008 (the "Batteries Regulations") within the UK. These Regulations implement the placing on the market obligations of the EU Directive 2006/66/EEC, which:
- bans the placing on the EU market of new batteries containing more than agreed levels of cadmium and mercury
- controls the marking of batteries
- sets design requirements on producers of electrical and electronic equipment that contain batteries
Producers of batteries and electrical and electronic equipment need to understand the requirements of the Batteries Regulations to ensure that their products comply.
More information can be found throughout the website and by downloading our Batteries Directive Leaflet (PDF, 334 Kb) to learn how to comply.
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You can contact us regarding the Batteries Regulations or our enforcement methodologies via the About Us tab on the right hand side.
