Summary and Conclusions, Miljøstyrelsen

Indsamlingssystemer for batterier

Summary and Conclusions

In recent years there have been plans of increasing the demands on the collection of batteries in both Denmark and at the European level. In the Danish action plan "Energy 21" it is therefore contemplated that Denmark should collect all batteries, when suitable treatment methods have been developed. Also, at the EU level a directive is in preparation that is expected to include demands on the collection of batteries. In the light of this, it is relevant to focus on how high the collection efficiency of batteries can be made. This project has therefore the objective of gathering information from Denmark and abroad in preparation of locating collection systems or parameters that can secure an appropriate and efficient collection of batteries.

Method for calculation of potential

It is necessary to calculate the collection potential for batteries in Denmark if the efficiency of the Danish battery collection is to be estimated in the future. Three types of methods have been evaluated: Estimate from statistical data, estimate from the number of batteries found in combustible waste and estimate made on the basis of telephone interviews with citizens, trade and industry.

The evaluation of the different types of methods has shown that all methods for estimating the collection potential are subject to an unknown uncertainty. Going through uncertainties, sources of error and estimated potentials compared to the consumption of batteries, it turns out that two methods provide the same collection potential. This is the case for calculation of the potential based on data from Statistics Denmark (consumption) and calculation of the potential based on the number of batteries found in the slag from incineration of household waste. The method, at which the potential is calculated on the basis of the slag, has only been tested a few times at the waste incineration company AVV. The method would therefore require further testing, before it can be used. As regards the data from Statistics Denmark there are also some sources of error, which have to be investigated.

Apart from these two methods, two Dutch methods have been assessed. One of the methods is also based on the number of batteries in the combustible waste. By this method the batteries are sorted out by magnetic separation before combustion. The collection potential calculated on the basis of this method is considerably lower than by the above-mentioned methods, and the collection potential corresponds to less than 50 % of the batteries sold in Holland, which seems rather low. Finally a fourth method is described at which the number of batteries is estimated through telephone interviews with a representative part of population, trade and industry. This method is used in Holland to get an insight into the size of the "box room effect", but is not used directly for calculation of collection potential.

A temporary rough calculation of the consumption of batteries in the period 1990 - 1997 shows consumption of about 410 grams/inhabitant and 540 grams/inhabitant per year. (The interval is calculated on the basis of data from Statistics Denmark from the period 1990 - 1997, where the interval is the minimum and maximum of different kinds of mean value calculations. 10% is added, because batteries imported in consumer products are taken into account.) The calculation of the temporary collection potential is not a drawn up part of the project and this rough estimate is therefore only made as part of the evaluation of calculation methods.

Inquiry

To review the present collection of batteries in Denmark, an inquiry was made at the beginning of the project to 35 waste-handling companies and municipalities who are responsible for the collection of batteries. This inquiry, replied by 31 of the respondents, showed that 12 different types of collections are used, and that on average three collections are used by each of the respondents. Out of the 90 localized collections 66 of the collections were systems at which the consumers have to bring the batteries to a central collection point. In these kinds of systems the batteries are typically brought to recycling centres and shops. The remaining part of the 90 collections is systems where the batteries are typically collected at the households together with other types of waste, for example household waste or hazardous waste.

From the inquiry the following collection systems were selected for further investigation: Skiveegnens Renovationsselskab, Vejle Kommune, Modtagestation Vendsyssel, Bornholms Fælleskommunale Affaldsbortskaffelse, VEGA, REFA, Amagerforbrændingen/R98, Århus Kommune and Bramming Kommune.

Evaluation of the selected systems

On the basis of the inquiry eight Danish waste collection companies and municipalities were selected for a more detailed evaluation of their collection systems of batteries. The evaluation is made on the basis of interviews and deals with the practical execution of the collection, organization, information, collected amount and economy.

The collected amounts of batteries from the investigated collection systems are still far from the expected collection potential at about 410 and 540 grams/inhabitant (calculated on the basis of data from Statistics Denmark 1990 - 1997 and minimum and maximum in the tables 2.3-2.6 plus 10 %). VEGA is the waste collection company which has the most efficient collection, corresponding to 257 grams/inhabitant collected from households and industry. The collected amounts and expenses in connection with the collection vary considerably among the eight investigated collection systems. Thus, approximately100 grams/inhabitant from private households is collected by the waste handling companies, which collect the least. By way of comparison it may be mentioned that 199 grams/inhabitant of the 257 grams/inhabitant collected by VEGA comes from private households. The collection costs/kg of batteries varies between approximately 1 DKK and 6 DKK. The sorting costs of the batteries vary between approximately 1.75 DKK/kg and 5.25 DKK/kg, and the total collection and sorting costs are between 3.25 DKK/kg and 13.25 DKK/kg.

The investigation shows that the technical elaboration of the collection system has a minor influence on the collection result. On the contrary, parameters like engagement, information, visibility and accessibility can contribute to achieving a high collection level.

International experience

Study tours to Holland and Sweden have shown how information and visibility can be used in greater extent than it is the case in Denmark. In Holland much has been staked on for example information campaigns in radio, TV, newspapers and magazines, and there is a national information and educational campaign in the Dutch schools. This campaign is possible, as in Holland there is a central collection organization including Dutch battery producers and importers as a consequence of a shared product responsibility. The municipalities are however responsible for the greater part of the practical execution of the collection. In Sweden there is also a shared responsibility between battery producers & importers and the municipalities.

In the Gothenburg Municipality there were in 2001 totally collected 120,000 kg batteries from private households and industry. This corresponds to an average collection of 250 grams per inhabitant.

The Dutch effort resulted in collection of approximately 1,876 tonnes of batteries from both private households and industry in 2001. This corresponds to approximately 116 grams/inhabitant which is a moderate result compared to the consumption of batteries. A possible reason for the level of the collection result is according to Stibat the shared responsibility for the battery collection between Stibat and the municipalities, which makes the coordination of the effort difficult.