New legislation on waste management to be implemented in Germany, with the EU regulations serving as foundation, effective within a few weeks.
Germany is set to implement new battery regulations, aligning with the EU Batteries Regulation, that aim to promote sustainable practices and enhance transparency in the battery market.
Clear Labeling and QR Codes
From August 18, 2026, batteries will be labeled with clear details about the manufacturer and hazardous substance content. From February 18, 2027, a QR code will be required on batteries, providing access to detailed battery data.
Digital Battery Passports and Transparency
From 2027, selected battery types will receive a "Digital Battery Passport," offering consumers and waste operators comprehensive information on battery characteristics, lifespan, hazardous substances, critical raw materials, carbon footprint, recycled content, responsible sourcing, recyclability, and safe removal instructions. For batteries without passports, QR codes must link to this data, increasing transparency and traceability across the battery lifecycle.
Mandatory Recycled Material Documentation
Manufacturers will be required to provide detailed documentation of recycled content used in batteries. The new rules set methods for calculating and verifying recycling efficiency and material recovery from waste batteries. This includes stricter supply chain transparency and traceability obligations to ensure the use of recycled and responsibly sourced materials.
Performance, Sustainability, and Due Diligence
The regulations impose minimum performance standards to improve battery lifespan and durability, restrict hazardous substances like mercury, cadmium, and lead, and require lifecycle carbon footprint reporting. They also emphasize supply chain due diligence to prevent deforestation and promote sustainable material sourcing.
Other Key Changes
- A regulation will come into effect in 2027, requiring manufacturers to guarantee that users can replace or insert batteries using common tools.
- Used batteries, such as those from e-bikes, will soon be able to be handed in at municipal collection points.
- The new regulations include the obligation to set up collective collection systems for all categories of batteries and to secure financial guarantees.
- Cities and communities are increasingly relying on battery storage.
- CO2 emission limits are to be introduced by 2033.
- Batteries will be marked with the "Separate Collection" symbol.
- Selected battery types will receive a "Digital Battery Passport" from 2027, providing information about CO balance, origin, and materials used.
- Battery manufacturers will be required to disclose the CO2 emissions of their products.
Recycling Goals and E-bike Batteries
Ambitious goals are being pursued in the area of recycling, with a target of increasing the collection rate for device batteries to 73% by 2030. However, the collection targets for batteries from light vehicles such as E-bikes are less optimistic, with a target of 61% for the year 2031. New categories for batteries from E-bikes, electric vehicles, and starter batteries will be introduced.
Raw Material Requirements
By 2031, minimum requirements for certain raw materials will come into force, affecting lead, cobalt, lithium, and nickel. The new Battery Act Implementation Act in Germany will replace the existing Battery Act on August 18, 202x. The new law aims to regulate the entire lifecycle of batteries, from manufacturing to use to disposal, with a focus on ecological aspects.
2028 Requirements
In 2028, battery manufacturers will be required to document the proportion of recycled materials in their products. This focus on recycling and reuse efforts is part of Germany's commitment to a sustainable future and the promotion of circular economy principles.
- The new German Battery regulations, aligned with the EU Batteries Regulation, aim to promote sustainable practices and enhance transparency in the science of battery manufacture.
- From August 18, 2026, batteries will be labeled with clear details, including the manufacturer and hazardous substance content.
- By February 18, 2027, a QR code will be required on batteries, providing access to detailed battery data.
- From 2027, selected battery types will receive a "Digital Battery Passport," offering consumers and waste operators comprehensive information on battery characteristics, lifespan, and environmental-science aspects.
- Manufacturers will be required to provide detailed documentation of recycled content used in batteries to increase industrial transparency and traceability.
- The regulations also impose minimum performance standards to improve battery lifespan and durability, restrict hazardous substances, and require lifecycle carbon footprint reporting.
- In the future, users will be able to replace or insert batteries using common tools, and used batteries, such as those from e-bikes, will be collected at municipal points.
- Batteries will be marked with the "Separate Collection" symbol and will be subject to CO2 emission limits by 2033.
- Selected battery types will receive a "Digital Battery Passport" from 2027, providing information about CO balance, origin, and materials used, contributing to sustainable-living practices.
- A focus on recycling and reuse efforts is part of Germany's commitment to a sustainable future and the promotion of circular economy principles.
- By 2031, minimum requirements for certain raw materials like lead, cobalt, lithium, and nickel will come into force, impacting the renewable-energy, finance, business, and real-estate industries, and aligning with education-and-self-development practices aimed at personal-growth and career-development through skills-training in data-and-cloud-computing and environmental-science.
