Acceptance of waste batteries

BattG obligates different participants to accept, recover, and dispose of waste batteries.

Collection, or respectively, acceptance of waste portable batteries is performed for example by örE, distributors, or voluntary collection points. These waste batteries must always subsequently be handed over to a collection scheme. The collection schemes are set up and operated by the battery producers or their authorised agents to fufill the take-back obligations and they subsequently submit the collected waste portable batteries to recovery and disposal according to § 14 BattG. 

For waste automotive and industrial batteries, battery producers or their authorised agents are obligated to offer a reasonable option free of charge to return these waste batteries. The affected participants can reach deviating agreements for these waste batteries.

The following table shows in which way which participant takes on the acceptance of waste batteries in Germany:

Type of waste battery örE Distributor Voluntary collection points Treatment facilities
Waste portable batteries

voluntary acceptance possible 

and

acceptance obligation on delivery of waste electrical and electronic equipment regarding
associated and removed waste portable batteries

acceptance obligation if waste batteries are or were in the range as new batteries voluntary acceptance possible acceptance of waste batteries insofar as they arise within the scope of operation as treatment facility
Waste automotive batteries voluntary acceptance possible on principle no acceptance
Waste industrial batteries

on principle no acceptance;

acceptance only possible as third-party agent

Important: Consumers must separate waste portable batteries that are not surrounded by the waste equipment prior to submission to a collection site. Provided that the concept of the waste equipment allows the waste portable batteries to be removed unproblematically.