Battery Recycling Requirements - New European Union Rules

New EU-wide rules to boost the collection and recycling of used domestic batteries came into force recently. The rules are intended to reduce the environmental and health hazards posed by mercury, lead, cadmium and other metals in batteries.

The targets, agreed by EU member states, are the collection of 25 % of discarded household batteries by 2012. This target will rise to 45 % in 2016.

By September 26, 2009 all batteries collected should be recycled, with exceptions in certain circumstances. Batteries containing mercury, lead and cadmium are classified in Europe as "hazardous waste". The new rules also cover industrial and vehicle batteries, ensuring that users have the possibility of returning used batteries for collection. The new rules also include restrictions on the use of mercury in all batteries and on the use of cadmium in portable batteries.

Caltha LLP assists manufacturers in meeting product stewardship goals and regulatory requirements associated with their products.

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EU Proposes Revision To WEEE Directive

The Waste Electronics and Electric Equipment (WEEE) Directive came into force in 2003. Soon after a number of technical, legal and administrative difficulties became apparent; therefore the WEEE Directive was thus called out for up-date and simplification.

The WEEE Directive aims to 1) prevent the generation of electrical and electronic waste and 2) to promote reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery to reduce the quantity of waste discarded. It requires the collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment and the recovery and reuse or recycling of waste collected.

The directive is based on producer responsibility; producers of equipment used by private households are responsible for providing financing for the collection, treatment, recovery and environmentally-sound disposal of WEEE deposited at collection facilities. Producers of equipment used by others than private households are financially responsible for the costs of collection, treatment, recovery and environmentally-sound disposal.

Member States are required to draw up a register of producers and collect information on an annual basis on the quantities and categories of electrical and electronic equipment placed on their market, collected, re-used, recycled and recovered within that Member State and on collected waste exported.

Since 2003 data have shown that the Directive's goals could not be achieved at current collection and recycling rates. An EU review of the Directive required the Commission to propose new mandatory WEEE collection target and new targets for recovery and re-use or recycling, including for reusing whole appliances as appropriate, and targets for electrical and electronic medical devices. A new provision is added to harmonize producer registration and reporting in the EU by making national registers inter-operable.

Experience with the WEEE Directive also points to implementation problems resulting in a high percentage of WEEE not handled according to the requirements of the directive. It also shows that a significant amount of illegal shipments of polluting E-waste finds its way to developing countries where is has an impact on the health of local populations. To close the implementation gap, the EU proposes to strengthen the enforcement of the WEEE Directive.

Caltha LLP assists manufacturers in meeting their product stewardship goals and regulatory requirements.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
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New US DOT Rules on Transport of Spent Batteries

The U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) has adopted new hazardous materials transportation regulations covering the batteries. These rules address concerns about the potential safety hazards of shipping large quantities of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The rules took effect on October 1, 2008 and will impact the companies and individuals shipping batteries for recycling and the recycling industry.

The new US DOT rules require that Li-ion batteries to be shipped in original equipment or have tape over the terminal connections to help prevent short circuits. In addition, the US DOT has new requirements for marking and labeling of shipping packages.

Most of the rules changes will apply to commercial shipments. But some of the changes will also impact consumers sending small numbers of phones for recycling.

[read more about other recent amendments to hazardous material shipping requirements]

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
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Environmental Training - RCRA HazCom SWPPP SPCC Audit Training

Caltha LLP offers a wide variety of Environmental Training courses developed to meet requirements of numerous regulatory programs.

Check here to review an archive of sample training projects Caltha has completed

Training is offered in a number of flexible formats, ranging from traditional classroom training presented periodically in different locations, to facility-level training conducted at individual sites to meet employee and/or contractor training needs. Caltha offers web-based and remote training options. Caltha also creates facility-specific training materials and conducts “train-the-trainer” sessions for facility training staff.

Caltha provides training in the following areas:
[Click on area to request information on upcoming training programs and training options]

RCRA - Hazardous Waste Generator (LQG) Training
HazCom - Hazard Communication Training
Stormwater Pollution Prevention - SWPPP Training [read more about State-specific SWPPP training]
Spill Prevention Control & Countermeasure - SPCC Training
Internal Compliance Audit Training
Internal EMS Audit Training
Contractor Training Programs
Facility Environmental Regulatory Overview Course

For further information contact Caltha LLP atinfo@calthacompany.com

orCaltha LLP Website

EU Regulation 396/2005 – Maximum Residue Levels MRL for Pesticides

Recently, new European Union (EU) rules setting enforceable Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for pesticides came into force (Regulation No 396 / 2005). Rules set Maximum Reside Concentrations (MRL) for a wide range of pesticide in a variety of agricultural products. The MRLs are listed in a publicly available database. A European Commission database is now available to search for the MRL applicable to each crop and pesticide.

Caltha LLP assists companies in meeting various product stewardship requirements and meeting regulatory standards.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
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UST Operator Training Requirements Under Energy Policy Act

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 required EPA to develop training guidelines for three distinct classes of operators who operate and maintain underground storage tank (UST) systems. States receiving funding under Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act are then required to develop state-specific training requirements consistent with EPA's guidelines no later than August 8, 2009.

The EPA guidelines for UST training recognize three classes of operator:

Class A Operator has primary responsibility to operate and maintain the underground storage tank system, including managing resources and personnel to achieve and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements. At a minimum, the Class A operator must be trained and have general knowledge of UST system requirements so he or she can make informed decisions regarding compliance and ensure appropriate individuals are fulfilling operation, maintenance, and recordkeeping requirements and UST standards and regulatory requirements

A Class B Operator implements applicable UST regulatory requirements and standards in the field. This individual implements day-to-day aspects of operating, maintaining, and recordkeeping for USTs at one or more facilities. Compared with training for the Class A operator, training for the Class B operator will provide a more in-depth understanding of operation and maintenance aspects, but may cover a more narrow breadth of applicable regulatory requirements.

A Class C Operator is an employee and is, generally, the first line of response to events indicating emergency conditions. This individual is responsible for responding to alarms or other indications of emergencies caused by spills or releases from underground storage tank systems. At a minimum, the Class C operator must be trained to take action in response to emergencies or alarms caused by spills or releases from an underground storage tank system.

All States must ensure all three classes of operators are trained according to state-specific training requirements by August 8, 2012.

Caltha LLP provides training to comply with a number of regulatory programs, including SWPPP Training, SPCC Training, RCRA Training and Hazard Communication Training.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
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ISO 12885:2008 - Safe Handling of Nanomaterials

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently published a technical report (ISO/TR 12885:2008, Health and safety practices in occupational settings relevant to nanotechnologies), providing guidelines on ways to prevent adverse health and safety consequences during the production, handling, use, and disposal of manufactured nanomaterials. The report addresses current information about nanotechnologies, including characterization, health effects, exposure assessments, and control practices and focuses on the manufacture and use of engineered nanomaterials.

ISO is a non-governmental organization and does not enforce the implementation of its standards. However, many ISO standards related to health, safety, or the environment have been adopted in some countries as part of their regulatory framework, or are referred to in legislation.

Caltha LLP assists manufacturing clients in the development of procedures to minimize the potential environmental and worker health hazards associated with the use and handling of hazardous materials.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
info@calthacompany.com
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