Responsibility for portable batteries and accumulators

Local authorities must establish and operate collection of portable batteries in the vicinity of end-users. In addition, local authorities must establish and operate collection sites from where producers and importers must pick up collected portable batteries and accumulators.

Financing the collection

Producers/importers finance this municipal collection of portable batteries through a payment to Skattestyrelsen (The Danish Tax Agency) established in the Battery Order. This payment is to cover planning, establishment, operation and administration of waste schemes and collection of portable batteries. The State distributes yields among the local authorities according to a local government compensatory scheme (DUT - see right-hand column).

Pick-up of portable batteries

Batteries are picked up by producers and importers at existing WEEE collection sites. Pick-up may also take place from sites established upon agreement between the local authority and the responsible producer/collective scheme.

Pick-up must be effectuated no later than three workdays after receipt of the request.

Producers and importers or their collective schemes are allocated a pick-up duty annually for portable batteries from the local authority in line with the collection duty for WEEE.

Municipal tasks associated with portable batteries:

• Establishment of collection in the vicinity of end-users, i.e. not just collection at recycling centres.
• Establishment of regulations for collection of portable batteries.
• Registration with DPA-System of sites where producers are to pick up portable batteries collected by the local authority.
• Continuous update of registration with DPA-System.
• Supervision of delivery of portable batteries to approved reprocessors of waste batteries.
• Supervision of correct management and treatment of waste batteries.