End-of-life battery recycling program gets green light to continue
▼ Summary
– The ACCC has granted the Battery Stewardship Council a five-year exemption to operate its B-cycle Battery Stewardship Scheme without breaching competition laws.
– The scheme aims to increase proper battery disposal and recycling, reducing landfill and fire risks while supporting research and innovation in battery reuse.
– The ACCC imposed conditions requiring the BSC to maintain a Button Battery Safety Strategy and create a consultation protocol for future scheme changes.
– An independent review of the scheme’s performance must be conducted in three years, and annual reports on outcomes and targets must be published for transparency.
– The ACCC noted that participation rates are low due to the voluntary nature of the scheme but clarified that making it mandatory is a policy decision for governments, not the ACCC.
Australia’s Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) has secured a five-year exemption from the ACCC, allowing its B-cycle Battery Stewardship Scheme to proceed without breaching competition laws. This decision supports ongoing industry collaboration to boost battery recycling and safe disposal nationwide.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission concluded that the scheme offers clear public benefits, including reducing battery waste in landfill and lowering fire risks during collection, transport, and recycling. ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh highlighted that the initiative also encourages research and development into reusing end-of-life batteries.
While the program remains voluntary, the ACCC acknowledged that participation rates, and therefore the volume of batteries recycled, have been modest. Some stakeholders have urged governments to make battery stewardship mandatory, but the ACCC clarified that setting such policy falls outside its responsibilities.
Safety remains a critical focus, particularly concerning button batteries. The ACCC has required the BSC to maintain its Button Battery Safety Strategy, which educates consumers and addresses risks such as severe injuries to children who swallow these batteries.
To promote accountability, the BSC must develop and follow a formal consultation protocol when modifying the scheme. It will also publish annual reports detailing outcomes and will undergo an independent review after three years to assess performance, governance, and finances.
The ACCC emphasized that its authorisation does not replace government authority over product stewardship arrangements. Both processes operate independently, and the ACCC’s role is limited to evaluating whether collaborations like the BSC’s produce a net public benefit.
Separately, regulatory developments are underway in New South Wales. The NSW Environment Protection Authority has proposed a mandatory product stewardship scheme under the Product Lifecycle Responsibility Act 2025. If adopted, battery suppliers in NSW would need to join a stewardship organisation approved by the EPA.
The draft NSW regulation covers common household batteries, button cells, rechargeable batteries under 5kg, portable power banks, and certain e-micromobility devices with non-removable batteries. The EPA is consulting on the proposal until 14 November 2025, with the regulation expected to take effect in mid-2026. The agency has also collaborated with other states to encourage a nationally consistent approach.
The BSC, a not-for-profit organisation, oversees the collection, recycling, and disposal of end-of-life batteries, excluding automotive lead-acid batteries and those covered by other programs. The scheme uses an eco-modulated levy system, where fees and rebates vary by battery type to reflect differing recycling costs and risks. Funds raised help finance public awareness campaigns aimed at increasing recycling participation.
On 4 June 2025, the ACCC granted interim authorisation, permitting the BSC to adjust levies in line with inflation and to develop new eco-modulated levy arrangements pending full authorisation.
(Source: ITWire Australia)
