Municipal interests in adapting battery legislation

At the public hearing of the German Bundestag committee on the draft law to adapt battery legislation to Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, the central role of local authorities in the collection, treatment and recycling of batteries was emphasized. Municipal companies make a significant contribution to ensuring high-quality waste treatment and counteracting oligopolization in the disposal market. This was emphasized by Uwe Feige, Plant Manager of Kommunalservice Jena, who was present at the public hearing of the German Bundestag committee on Monday in his capacity as Vice President of the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU).

It was particularly emphasized that battery collection from local authorities should be strengthened and, if necessary, supported by collection fees. The provision of standard-compliant collection containers is also crucial: at present, recyclers only do this on a voluntary basis, which can lead to bottlenecks, among other things. Other topics of discussion included safety risks posed by batteries, in particular fire hazards, as well as product bans for certain battery types such as EVAPs or the possible introduction of a deposit system for take-back.

In addition, Mr. Feige held a discussion with Patrick Schnier, Federal Minister of Transport, on relevant topics of municipal infrastructure and the conversion of the vehicle fleet to renewable energies and their funding opportunities.

These activities ensure that the perspectives and experiences of municipal companies are incorporated into legislation and that practical solutions are promoted.