Batteries & Accumulators
A large proportion of the electrical appliances manufactured today contain batteries or accumulators. These, too, must be registered before they are offered for sale and the distributors must join a take-back system and bear the disposal costs incurred.
The EU Battery Directive ( EU Battery Directive) is the basis for the German BattG. The aim of these guidelines is to provide better environmental protection and to promote the multiple use of energy sources. For you as a manufacturer or distributor, this means legal requirements that you must observe in order to be able to sell your products on the German or international market.
Do you manufacture batteries, battery-powered devices or rechargeable batteries or place them on the market? Whether national or international – in the following you will find the most important answers to questions about the EU directives as well as about stiftung ear. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions or take advantage of our non-binding initial consultation!
What do the EU Battery Directive and the German Battery Act say?
On the one hand, both the directive and German law specifies how high the proportion of heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium as well as pollutants in a battery used in appliances or vehicles may be. On the other hand, both prescribe how return and disposal shall be handled. In addition, they regulate the uniform labeling of the respective battery type.
Which products are covered by the German Battery Act or the EU Battery Directive?
The law and the directive cover all batteries used in electrical appliances, industrial equipment and vehicles. The battery that powers a smartphone is covered by the law, as are the button cells in your kitchen scale.
Who must fulfill the obligations?
Producers, distributors and end users are subject to obligations, as are importers and disposal systems. While the consumer has it quite easy, you as a manufacturer and distributor face some hurdles, whose (inadvertent) neglect can be expensive.
What are the obligations under the laws and directives?
Manufacturers of batteries, accumulators or devices powered by them must label them for their harmful content. In addition, they are obliged to register with stiftung ear and to notify the Federal Environment Agency that they are placing batteries on the German market or trading them. If you manufacture batteries, participation in a take-back system is also a prerequisite for placing your goods on the market. If you set up your own nation-wide take-back system for this purpose, you must have it approved by stiftung ear.
As a dealer or importer, on the other hand, you must take back batteries free of charge and return them to the producer. On the other hand, you have the task of checking that your supplier is a registered company that complies with the requirements of the BattG.
In the role of the end user, you have the obligation to remove the batteries from the device if possible (without irrevocably damaging the energy carrier or the product) and to return them in accordance with the regulations. Public sector waste management companies are also required by law to accept used batteries from appliances free of charge.
CERTIFY offers you a legally secured solution, which convinces through efficient and smooth process.
We take the complicated registration process off your hands, so you can focus your energy on developing new products.
Enjoy 100% legal compliance!
How does the registration with stiftung EAR work?
Registration for the German market takes place at stiftung ear but must be treated separately from the registration of electrical equipment. They are two different procedures. The system affiliation, which is also necessary, takes place when you seek a disposal company that recycles batteries and accumulators nationwide. CERTIFY can support you in both processes: We carry out the registration and all data reporting at stiftung ear and take care of your system participation with our partner, so that you have nothing more to do than to regularly report to us the number of units placed on the market.
The EU directives on extended producer responsibility (EPR) stipulate that manufacturers, distributors and importer – i.e. all types of distributors – are legally obliged to take care not only of the purchase, production and distribution of products, but also of their fate after the end of the product life cycle – i.e. disposal and recycling.. This requirement also applies to batteries and accumulators, which have a variety of properties that are harmful to the environment and health, but also contain valuable materials.
The aim of the ear registration is to ensure compliance with the legal regulations and to be able to punish violations on the basis of the WEEE number. The legislator thus fulfills its tasks in environmental protection and in the implementation of the European Directive 2006/66/EC.
You must register with stiftung ear if you are a manufacturer of portable batteries and industrial and automotive batteries as defined by the BattG. Mass, composition, size and intended use are irrelevant, the only exceptions being batteries for military and aerospace use. You are considered a manufacturer both if you are the manufacturer and if you place them on the German market (as a distributor). If you import a battery that is not already registered in Germany, you count as a manufacturer as well and same obligations apply.
The Battery Act also applies to batteries installed in electronic or electrical devices. The devices themselves, on the other hand, are subject to the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act including the regulations for disposal.
If you as a manufacturer subject to registration do not have a branch office in Germany, you must use an authorized representative according to §2 Abs. 15a BattG to fulfill your obligations. CERTIFY already acts as an authorized representative for a large number of different distributors in the fields of batteries and electrical appliances and offers to take over your obligations as well, so that you can concentrate on your daily business.
The registration procedure is an administrative procedure. This means that it is not set in motion until you, or your authorized representative, register. You are responsible for submitting the application on your own. To submit the application via the stiftung ear portal, you must provide the type and brand of battery or device. If you are uncertain about the type, you must provide product photos and a description. If you meet the requirements for ear registration, you will receive a corresponding notice and a registration number by which you can be identified as the distributor of the battery or accumulator.
The Stiftung Elektro-Altgeräte-Register (ear) is a German authority based in Nuremberg, which has been involved in the implementation of the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act and the Batteries and Accumulators Act on behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency since 2004. To achieve this goal, the stiftung ear firstly provides the structures for registration. On the other hand, it takes care of organizing the collection of old equipment from public recycling centers and providing appropriate containers.
3 steps to compliance - with CERTIFY
It can be difficult for manufacturers and distributors to learn all the legal requirements and to keep up to date with amendments to the law. Especially if you trade your products internationally, you need extensive expertise, foreign language skills and legal understanding.
CERTIFY is your competent, reliable, and experienced partner around BattG and international battery regulations. With our full service we support you to comply with all legal requirements and to bring your product successfully to the market. Contact us now and convince yourself of our competitive offer!
1. Analysis and Clarification
During the non-binding conversation, we analyze your individual obligations and priorities and answer your questions.
2. Consultation
We are there for you in the planning and implementation of your duties.
3. Full Service
You give us the power of attorney, we take care of the rest. The only thing you then have to do is to report the quantities to us. We take care of everything else - from initial registration to regular quantity reporting.
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