"Time To Recharge Our Effort In Battery Recycling" MEP

1.44.46pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 11th Jul 2006

Liz Lynne, Lib Dem MEP for the West Midlands today called for the region to take the lead in the recycling of household batteries, where at present thousands of them are simple buried in the ground each year, leading to leakages of toxic substances, such as mercury and lead that harm the local environment.

Speaking after members of the European Parliament recently voted to adopt a new directive on the recycling of batteries, demanding that 25% of household batteries be recycled by 2012, Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne commented:

"The average household uses around 21 batteries a year, with 600 million household batteries being sent to landfill in the UK every year. This new directive will help limit this damaging process and make the recycling of batteries a way of life."

"Not only is this great news for the environment, but it represents a new commercial opportunity for many West Midlands companies that choose to get involved in this new market. Already we are leading the way with the UK's first specialist household battery recycling plant being opened in West Bromwich. We must now power-up and double our recycling efforts to protect our local area."

This new landmark directive will ensure that, by mid-2008, almost all batteries with particularly high levels of mercury and cadmium will be banned, and targets have been set for the recycling of all other batteries and accumulators.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1.http://www.letsrecycle.com/info/waste_management/news

2.Statistics provided by the Waste and Resources Action Programme http://www.wrap.org.uk/about_wrap