According to recent figures published by the Environment Agency the UK’s 6 battery compliance schemes have collected just 8.58% of waste portable batteries in the first quarter of 2010. This figure is below the 10% target set for the year as a whole.

There are currently many questions being asked about the amount of publicity needed to encourage the general public to recycle more batteries. The coalition government is cutting back on publicity campaigns with Defra’s Christmas 2009 campaign being its 1st and last. Unfortunately many battery schemes look like they will have to promote on their own with only a little support from retailers.

Battery recycling rules started on January 1st 2010 and require battery distributors / retailers to collect 10% of the batteries they put out on the market in 2009. The figures that have been collected for the first quarter of this year as being seen as tricky to base forecasts on how the rest of the year will turn out. However some in the sector think that the chances of the UK hitting the targets that have been set by the EU batteries directive is increasing unlikely.

Batteries Project Manager at the Environment Agency, Bob Mead said “I am not disappointed by the figures. One set of data is insufficient to make predictions for the year.” He added “The government in its impact assessment suggested historic recycling rates of 2-3% a year for portable batteries, so 8% in the first quarter of 2010 can’t be a bad start.”

According to the Environment Agency the UK is on track to meet its 2010 portable battery recycling target.

The 10% target for 2010 is based on battery sales of 45,000 tonnes in 2009 meaning that battery recycling schemes need to collect 4500 tonnes by the end of the year. Battery recycling schemes first quarter figures will be reported by the end of April.

Bob Mead, the Environment Agency’s Implementation Project Manager said “I have no concerns about the way things are going at the moment. We are very confident of meeting 2010′s battery recycling targets.”

This years target was always going to be fairly easy to hit but next years target may be more of a struggle. By 2012 the UKs target will be 25% and by 2016 45% of batteries need to be recycled. In order to meet these targets in future years more needs to be done to raise awareness to get people to take old batteries to collection points.

From today all shops selling over 32kg of batteries in a year have to provide recycling points under new laws for people to drop off their old batteries.

The new recycling schemes have been put into place to help the UK hit recycling targets put in place by the EU. At the moment only 3% of batteries are being recycled it is hoped that the new laws will bring this figure up to 10% by the end of the year.

If recycling targets are not hit then the UK government could face fines of millions of pounds, these fines will be passed to battery manufacturers which in time will raise the price of batteries to consumers.

It’s hoped that consumers will take all their old batteries to points to drop them off for recycling however if people are not aware of the new laws then the recycling effort could fail straight away.

The new recycling schemes are also expected to cost battery manufacturers around £3 million per year.

In collaboration with recycling company Recolight, Sainsbury’s in Exeter is one of the fist stores to offer shoppers the chance to recycle their old energy saving light bulbs.

Shoppers at the supermarket can drop off their unwanted light bulbs in a specially designed collection container which are later sent off to be recycled correctly.

From February shoppers at the store will also be able to drop off unwanted batteries to be disposed of correctly.

Around 200 Sainsbury’s stores nationwide will be also participating in this recycling scheme.

From 1st February 2010 the law requires that all retailers selling over 32kg of batteries in a year provide recycling facilities. Sainsbury’s is the only retailer in the UK providing recycling for energy saving light bulbs.

From the start of February there will be collection and drop off points for used batteries in shops and other locations, so it will be much easier to recycle batteries.

The 1^st of February will see the introduction of drop off points in most supermarkets, libraries, schools, high street shops and some town halls. Not only will it be much easier for batteries to be recycled but it will also help the UK hit its recycling targets set by the EU.

It’s hoped the new recycling facilities will help Britain recycle up to 25% of its batteries by 2012, rising to 45% in 2016, at the moment only 3% of batteries are recycled.

All retailers that sell more than 32kg of batteries a year must offer recycling facilities from the 1^st of February.

You can recycle you unwanted batteries at any retailers where you see the ‘Be Positive Sign.’

Tesco has just announced that it has joined the BatteryBack recycling scheme, which means that battery recycling points will be put in all Tesco stores nationwide to allow customers to dispose of their old batteries correctly.

Purchasing Manager of Tesco, Huw Clifford said “We believe major retails will be key in helping Britain hit battery recycling targets.” Currently only 3% of batteries are recycled in this country but to meet the European targets this must rise to 25% by 2012.

Batteryback is on target to become the largest battery recycling scheme currently having 45,000 collection points but this is expected to rise up to 200,000 collection points all over the UK.