Regulation No. 5 of the Minister of the Environment validating the Requirements for Handling Waste Batteries and Accumulators

Requirements for Handling Waste Batteries and Accumulators1 Regulation No. 5 of the Minister of the Environment of 10 January 2008 This Regulation is established on the basis of clause 29 (4) 8) of the Waste Act. § 1. Scope of application This Regulation establishes the requirements for handling batteries and accumulators, including the waste batteries and accumulators removed from electrical and electronic equipment and motor vehicles (hereinafter “waste batteries and accumulators”), specified in clause 25 (3) 1) of the Waste Act. § 2. Handling of waste batteries and accumulators (1) In order to sort or recycle waste batteries and accumulators or prepare waste batteries and accumulators for disposal, fluids and acids shall be removed therefrom, as a minimum. (2) Non-recoverable waste generated upon handling of waste batteries and accumulators shall be disposed of pursuant to the Waste Act. (3) Deposit of waste industrial batteries and accumulators and waste automotive batteries and accumulators in landfills and incineration of waste industrial batteries and accumulators and waste automotive batteries and accumulators in incineration plants is prohibited. § 3. Requirements for sites for handling and storage of waste batteries and accumulators (1) In addition to the conditions provided for in the Waste Act, handling and storage, including temporary storage, of waste batteries and accumulators shall take place in sites with: 1) impermeable surface; 2) weatherproof covering. (2) Waste batteries and accumulators may be also stored, including stored temporarily, in suitable containers. (3) A suitable container is a closed container: 1) which is weatherproof; 2) which is impermeable; 3) which is acid-proof; 4) from where, if the container is used for initial collection of waste batteries and accumulators, the batteries or accumulators placed in the container cannot be taken out by third persons without using any tools or without breaking the container. (4) The requirements provided for in subsection (1) do not apply upon storage, including temporary storage, in a suitable container. (5) Suitable containers used only in interior spaces shall, as a minimum, comply with the requirements provided for in clauses (3) 2), 3) and 4). § 4. Repeal of Regulation Regulation of the Minister of the Environment No. 27 of 26 April 2004 “Requirements for Handling Batteries and Accumulators Containing Dangerous Substances” (RTL2 2004, 53, 900) is repealed. § 5. Entry into force of Regulation This Regulation enters into force on 26 September 2008. 1 Directive 2006/66/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators and repealing Directive 91/157/EEC (OJ L 266, 26.09.2006, pp 1–14). 2 RTL = Riigi Teataja Lisa = Appendix to the State Gazette