Batteries and Accumulators Regulations, 2007

Suppliment tal-Gazzetta tal-Gvern ta’ Malta, Nru. 18,138, 23 ta’ Ottubru, 2007

L.N. 311 of 2007

PRODUCT SAFETY ACT

(CAP. 427)

Batteries and Accumulators Regulations, 2007

IN exercise of the powers conferred by article 39 of the Product

Safety Act, the Minister for Competitiveness and Communications has,

on the advice of the Malta Standards Authority, made the following

regulations>-

The title of these regulations is the Batteries and Accumulators Title.

Regulations, 2007.

SYMBOL FOR BATTERIES, ACCUMULATORS AND BATTERY PACKS

FOR SEPARATE COLLECTION

The symbol indicating “separate collection” for all batteries and accumulators

shall be the crossed-out wheeled bin shown below.

Mitbug[ fl-Istamperija tal-Gvern — Printed at the Government Printing Press

Lm0.08 (€0.19)

These regulations implement the provisions of Directive Commencement and

scope.

2006#66#EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of the 6 th

September, 2006, and shall enter into force on the 26 th September 2008.

(1) These regulations shall apply to all types of batteries Applicability.

and accumulators, regardless of their shape, volume, weight, material

composition or use. It shall apply without prejudice to the Waste

Management (End of Life Vehicles) Regulations, 2004 1 and to the

Waste Management (Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations,

2007 2 .

(2) These regulations shall not apply to batteries and

accumulators used in>

(a) essential security interests, arms, munitions and war

material, with the exclusion of products that are not intended for

specifically military purposes<

(b) equipment designed to be sent into space.

For the purposes of these regulations, the following definitions Definitions.

shall apply>

L.N. 99 of 2004

L.N. 63 of 2007

1. “automotive battery or accumulator” means any battery

or accumulator used for automotive starter, lighting or ignition

power<

2. “battery” or “accumulator” means any source of electrical

energy generated by direct conversion of chemical energy and

consisting of one or more primary battery cells (non-rechargeable)

or consisting of one or more secondary battery cells (rechargeable)<

3. “battery pack” means any set of batteries or accumulators

that are connected together and, or encapsulated within an outer

casing so as to form a complete unit that the end-user is not intended

to split up or open<

4. “button cell” means any small round portable battery or

accumulator whose diameter is greater than its height and which

is used for special purposes such as hearing aids, watches, small

portable equipment and back-up power<

“industrial battery or accumulator” means any battery or

accumulator designed for exclusively industrial or professional uses

or used in any type of electric vehicle<

“portable battery or accumulator” means any battery,

button cell, battery pack or accumulator that>

(i) is sealed< and

(ii) can be hand-carried< and

(iii) is neither an industrial battery or accumulator

nor an automotive battery or accumulator.

5. (1) Without prejudice to the Waste Management (End of

Life Vehicles) Regulations, 2004, the marketing of the following

batteries is prohibited>

(a) all batteries or accumulators, whether or not incorporated

into appliances, that contain more than 0,0005 % of mercury by

weight< and

(b) portable batteries or accumulators, including those

incorporated into appliances, that contain more than 0,002 % of

cadmium by weight.

(2) The prohibition set out in sub-regulation (1)(a) shall not

apply to button cells with a mercury content of no more than 2 % by

weight.

(3) The prohibition set out in sub-regulation (1)(b) shall not

apply to portable batteries and accumulators intended for use in>

(a) emergency and alarm systems, including emergency

lighting<

(b) medical equipment< or

(c)

cordless power tools.

6. (1) All batteries, accumulators and battery packs shall be Labelling.

appropriately marked with the symbol shown in the First Schedule

hereto.

(2) The capacity of all portable and automotive batteries

and accumulators shall be indicated on them in a visible, legible and

indelible form by 26 September 2009.

(3) Batteries, accumulators and button cells containing more

than 0,0005 % mercury, more than 0,002 % cadmium or more than

0,004 % lead, shall be marked with the chemical symbol for the metal

concerned> Hg, Cd or Pb. The symbol indicating the heavy metal content

shall be printed beneath the symbol shown in the First Schedule hereto

and shall cover an area of at least one-quarter the size of that symbol.

(4) The symbol shown in the First Schedule hereto shall

cover at least 3 % of the area of the largest side of the battery,

accumulator or battery pack, up to a maximum size of 5 X 5 cm. In the

case of cylindrical cells, the symbol shall cover at least 1,5 % of the

surface area of the battery or accumulator and shall have a maximum

size of 5 X 5 cm.

(5) Where the size of the battery, accumulator or battery

pack is such that the symbol would be smaller than 0,5 X 0,5 cm, the

battery, accumulator or battery pack need not be marked but a symbol

measuring at least 1 X 1 cm shall be printed on the packaging.

(6) Symbols shall be printed visibly, legibly and indelibly.

The Batteries and Accumulators Order, 2001 (Order No. 50 Repeals L.N. 6 of

2001. of 2001) is hereby repealed.