Large batteries and accumulators will be collected systematically. Smaller ones will be a problem.

• Poland must comply with the EU Battery Regulation (2023/1542), which strengthens requirements for the design, labelling and traceability of batteries.
• In recent days, a draft legislative amendment concerning this type of waste has been added to the Council of Ministers' agenda.
• The regulation imposes the obligation to conclude an agreement between the liability organization, the battery manufacturer, the person collecting used batteries and the disposal plant.
• Industry representatives are calling for the introduction of a deposit system for portable batteries and accumulators and disposable e-cigarettes.

The Polish Chamber of Waste Management, an organization representing entrepreneurs operating in the waste management sector, recently called for the urgent implementation of effective systemic solutions to reduce the growing fire hazard associated with the improper management of used lithium-ion batteries and accumulators.

In recent years, the number of fires in municipal installations, sorting plants, transfer points, and waste collection vehicles has increased significantly. Damaged or improperly disposed Li-ion batteries and accumulators are an increasingly common cause.

- write the authors of the position.

As they emphasize, the increase in the number of batteries and accumulators in waste:

• poses a real threat to human life and health;
• leads to the destruction of waste and recycling infrastructure;
• generates high financial losses and increased insurance costs;
• makes it difficult to achieve environmental goals in the field of recycling and recovery.

PIGO cites data from Germany, where advanced incident monitoring estimates that batteries cause over 30 fires daily. The problem is also growing in Poland, although it remains underestimated due to the lack of a central registry.

Piotr Szewczyk, deputy director of the "Orli Staw" facility and president of the Council of Regional Municipal Waste Processing Facilities, admits that batteries constitute an increasing percentage of the waste entering the facility. Metal separators capture most of the waste, but they are unable to detect the smallest batteries—"micro-beads."

This is a significant risk, as such an undischarged battery, under favorable conditions, can become a source of fire. Furthermore, there's the issue of environmental pollution, as batteries contain harmful components that we extract at great cost to environmental degradation.

- says.

For these reasons, among others, industry representatives are calling for the introduction of a deposit system for portable batteries and accumulators and disposable e-cigarettes . They are also requesting the creation of a security fund, financed by producers of batteries and battery-containing devices, to cover fire damage incurred by waste operators, as well as mandatory clear and permanent labeling of batteries and battery-containing devices, including through RFID standards or QR codes.

When asked what to do about the problem of excess batteries and rechargeable batteries, Piotr Szewczyk admits that it is a difficult task, because some of the batteries are in devices that cannot be disassembled, such as wireless headphones or blood sugar monitoring devices.

"The solution seems to be increasing public awareness and providing easy access to collection points for used batteries and accumulators. Such points could be located in every shop, school, or office. The same applies to the collection of all types of electrical and electronic devices. Currently, some forms of such collection exist – containers for batteries or small appliances – but they need to be more widespread. At the same time, this must be accompanied by education that will help develop environmental awareness and a sense of guilt among people who still throw this type of waste away with mixed waste," says Szewczyk.

He adds that batteries and accumulators could be collected in a separate system, and perhaps some – the most popular ones, such as AA and AAA batteries – could be subject to a deposit.

Of course, this would entail costs that must be taken into account. Under the principle of extended liability, manufacturers of such devices should also be included in this system. However, it is important to remember that these costs would ultimately be passed on to consumers.

The problem is no stranger to ministerial authorities. Poland must comply with the EU Battery Regulation (2023/1542), which strengthens requirements for the design, labeling, and traceability of batteries.

The Ministry of Development and Technology is working on a draft law on batteries and waste batteries, which will introduce new obligations for producers and facilities processing batteries for cars, scooters, and electric bicycles . The project aims to implement uniform EU rules that will apply throughout the entire battery lifecycle, from design to end of life. The planned changes are expected to be adopted by the government in the fourth quarter of 2025.

There was a need to adopt a law to implement the EU regulation in Polish law. The main objective of the battery regulation is to establish uniform rules across the EU market, covering the entire battery lifecycle: from design to end of life, thereby creating a circular economy (CE) for the battery sector.

- writes the Ministry of Development and Technology.

The draft law establishes a national supervisory authority that will cooperate with the European Commission. The new regulations will introduce changes to laws related to waste battery management and introduce sanctions for violations. Additionally, detailed storage conditions for various types of waste batteries and their permissible storage periods will be defined.

The regulation requires the conclusion of an agreement between the responsible organization, the battery manufacturer, the waste battery collector, and the disposal facility. The act will also establish the minimum and maximum product fee for used batteries, as well as the rules for collecting and refunding the deposit fee.

Batteries contain harmful chemicals. These include elements such as mercury, lead, cadmium, manganese, zinc, nickel, and lithium. These substances, if degraded and leaked, pose a threat to the environment, as well as to human and animal health. The scale of their harmfulness is demonstrated by the fact that a single small button cell battery, which powers a standard watch, can contaminate up to 400 liters of water, Tauron estimates.

Moreover, leaking batteries—for example, ordinary "sticks"—often release corrosive substances such as sulfuric acid. These can cause fires, and as you might imagine, a landfill fire is a difficult source of highly toxic smoke to control. Properly disposing of used batteries is not just a matter of environmental protection—it also poses a real threat to our health and safety. Therefore, managing them responsibly is in everyone's best interest.