Australia now has an accredited Battery Stewardship Scheme according to Federal Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Trevor Evans.

In a release, the MP says that the scheme will triple the battery collection rate over a period of five years and divert 90% of the collected materials from landfill.

“Our current battery recycling rate is just not good enough. Accreditation of the scheme gives both the public and industry assurance that the scheme aligns with Australia’s circular economy principles. It is the Australian Government’s tick of approval,” Trevor says.

“Accordingly, I am determined to see constructive engagement from all facets of the battery supply and recycling chain with the scheme—we need everyone in the supply chain to play their part in making sure that Australia gets its battery recycling right.”

He says that he’s putting all battery importers and retailers on notice that the government expects them to participate in the scheme, meeting recycling and waste reduction obligations.

“The Battery Stewardship Scheme will recover and recycle button batteries and the batteries we all routinely find ourselves replacing as consumers including AAs and AAAs.

“This scheme will not only benefit Australia’s unique environment by recovering and recycling the batteries currently sent to landfill but will also help remove button batteries, which can be hazardous to small children, from our homes,” he adds.

The Battery Stewardship Scheme is an industry-led product stewardship arrangement administered by the Battery Stewardship Council (BSC).