New legislation has been introduced which means that consumers will no longer face large bills for recycling motorcycle batteries, with all producers now required to arrange free collection and disposal of automotive batteries from business end-users and final holders.

The new The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, which came into force on January 1, will require the manufacturers of automotive batteries to register as “producers” and offer a free collection and disposal service to garages as well as “final holders”, typically restorers and customizers. Proposers will also be required to report on how many waste batteries have been collected and sent for recycling.

The regulations also introduce a blanket ban on the landfill disposal or incineration of waste industrial and automotive batteries

Ian Lucas, Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform, said: “These regulations are designed to complement the excellent recycling rates traditionally achieved for industrial and automotive batteries.

“In simple terms, business users of industrial batteries, and final holders of automotive batteries, such as garages, End-of-Life Vehicle authorised treatment facilities, and Civic Amenity site operators, will no longer be faced with the costs that may be incurred through recycling scrap batteries. These costs will now be met by the producers.”