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F E AT U R E
NEWPOWERORRECYCLING RUBBISH?
consistent collection system that
encompasses other types of waste.
WHY ARE WE STILL IN LIMBO ON BATTERY RECYCLING? An April start-date will allow all
involved to get this right.”
Batteries have been the subject of the date when retailers would unworkable deadline or leaving There is also a concern that
debate for years. Consumers have to reverse the VAT cut, and it holes in their plans. classifying used batteries as
discovered very quickly that they seemed as if no one was going to “To minimise cost and vehicle hazardous waste will stop them
get the quality they pay for but it be having a quiet bank holiday or
hasn’t meant a total shift to a great day’s sales.
energy-efficient and ecologically British Retail Consortium Director
sound rechargeable cells. General Stephen Robertson said:
However, wasteful and difficult to “This is the right aim but the
dispose of as some batteries are, it wrong timing. Retailers are
was imperative they be included in happy to provide an in-store
new legislation which aims to collection system, but the work and
reduce the amount of such items logistics needed to have it ready to
ending up in landfill. Retailers go right in the middle of the vital
have been responding well, Christmas and New Year sales
whether it’s because of their own period would have been a
eco-conscience or because of nightmare.”
the benefits associated with Considering that the original
consumers thinking you’re deadline for the rollout of the
“green” and eco-friendly, and the scheme was this month, the
repeat business drummed up as Government’s preparations for the
customers return to store to drop of implementation are apparently not
their batteries for recycling. ready: the consequences of
You may remember some another false-start, in the middle of
frustration, then, when the the crucial after-Christmassales
Government first announced period, could have been dire. journeys, retailers must be allowed being collected them from stores in
when a system for the collection of Stephen Robertson continued: to combine collection from stores the same vehicles that deliver
used batteries from store for “The Government’s failure to meet with deliveries. Online retailers goods to stores. That would
recycling would be introduced: last September’s required need to be clear how they meet require extra vehicles and road
January 1st, 2009. At the same implementation date is no their obligations and in-store journeys – adding to costs and
time, it was declared this would be reason for setting retailers this collection must be just part of a undermining environmental
benefits. Safety is important, of
course, but so-called ‘reverse
haulage’ is the most efficient
option and regulation must not
prevent it. A growing number of
inconsistent schemes are being
introduced for dealing with waste
products (batteries, waste
electricals, glass, plastics) creating
customer confusion and hindering
overall collection rates. The BRC
has proposed a single, easy to
understand, scheme that covers all
types of material. There should
also be a single approval process
for retailers and other businesses
involved.
The decision, therefore, to move
the implementation date back by a
month was welcomed. As the new
regulations were laid before
Parliament, the Department for
Business Enterprise and Regulatory
Reform (BERR) announced they will
now apply to retailers from 1
February 2010.
The BRC also welcomed the
Government’s recognition that the
current classification of used
010 PIXEL
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