Frequently Asked Questions - Legislation
What is CBR and what are they trying to accomplish?
CBR was incorporated as a non-profit in 2011 with a long-term vision to lead and shape a
national program that maximizes reuse of spent battery materials with a goal of sustainable
collection over time. Founding members are: Energizer Holdings, Inc., Procter and Gamble
(Duracell), and Panasonic Energy Corporation of America. CBR’s purpose is to support a US
battery recycling effort with a vision of sustainable collection.
Is there legislation on the collection of batteries?
The US federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and 49 state EPA's do not consider
alkaline and carbon zinc batteries to be a concern in the waste stream and do not require
collection and/or special handling of these batteries at their end of life. California is the only state
that regulates alkaline batteries at their end of life, prohibiting businesses and consumers from
disposing of these batteries into their normal waste stream. There are a few counties in the US
that require the separate collection of alkaline batteries. Consumers should check with their local
waste authorities for regulations on battery disposal.
Does CBR support legislation requiring primary battery recycling?
In late April, CBR and NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the US battery
industry trade group) collaborated with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on a bill that
addressed the collection and recycling of carpet, paint and non-rechargeable batteries. During the
first half of 2013, CBR and NEMA, worked with California Assemblyman Das Williams’ office on a
non-rechargeable battery collection and recycling bill. While both bills failed in committee, NEMA
and CBR continue to look at our options going forward and will focus attention on working with
state legislatures to establish a level playing field among all stakeholders for the collection and
recycling of primary batteries via legislation.
What do you mean by shared responsibility?
Everybody has a part to play in making household battery recycling work. Some will contribute
financially; some will help by participating in activities. For example, municipalities could
incorporate batteries into their curb-side program or retailers put messaging or collection boxes at
point of purchase. Other NGOs might engage consumers by providing location information. And,
lastly, we’re counting on consumers changing their disposal behavior. Duracell, Energizer and
Panasonic, as founding CBR members, are currently sharing the financial responsibility for
creating, testing and rolling out what can eventually become a national program.
What happens to the batteries once they are collected and recycled?
We are currently testing a variety of options that include shredding, incineration and/or separating
of materials into useable zinc, steel and manganese. Once extracted, zinc oxide could be used in
agriculture, paints, industrial coatings and other chemicals that allow us to go 7500 miles between
oil changes and protects iron cables and frames from rusting. Extracted steel could be used in
reinforcing concrete to build bridges and skyscrapers, while manganese could find its way into
road construction, and cement.