Producer Responsibility for Batteries
Producer responsibility for batteries means that manufacturers, importers and distributors who place batteries on the Swedish market are responsible for ensuring these batteries are collected and recycled when they become waste. This applies whether the batteries are sold separately or are incorporated in appliances, light vehicles or other vehicles.
The responsibility is regulated through EU Regulation (2023/1542) on batteries and waste batteries and Swedish regulation (2025:813). The purpose is to promote circular economy, ensure proper waste management and achieve collection and recycling targets for batteries.
Requirements
- Definition of producer: Manufacturer, importer or distributor who places batteries in their own name or under their own brand in Sweden, or sells batteries from another EU country or third country directly to end users
- Financing: Finance waste management for used batteries and sorting analyses every five years for portable batteries and batteries in light vehicles
- Annual fee: Pay supervisory fee to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
- Information: Provide information to end users, distributors and recyclers
Procedure
- Registration: Register the company as a producer via the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's e-service
- Producer responsibility organization: Appoint an approved producer responsibility organization (PRO) to fulfill obligations, or meet requirements independently
- Reporting: Submit annual reporting to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
- Collection system: Ensure systems exist for collection and recycling of batteries
Objectives
- Waste prevention: Batteries should be designed to prevent waste
- Collection targets: Achieve set targets for battery collection and recycling
- Responsible management: Ensure all battery waste is handled responsibly
- Circular economy: Promote sustainable development and circular economy