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1. WHICH CONTAINERS & WHAT COMBINATIONS OF MIXED BATTERIES WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR FIRE TESTING? |
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ABRI is providing advice to Fire & Rescue NSW to develop testing scenarios to understand fire impacts on different battery containers and chemistry mixes of handheld batteries. To inform this advice, ABRI is seeking suggestions from members and an evidence base for possible test parameters based on container types and sizes and chemistry mixes. For example,
- Container sizes
- Small such as 2, 10 and 20 litre containers
- Large such as 60 and 200 litre containers
- Percentages of different handheld battery chemistry mixes based on evidence such as actual battery recycling data or handheld battery sales projections, for example
- 95% alkaline and 5% lithium ion
- 47% alkaline, 52% lithium ion and 1% primary lithium
Please contact the ABRI Secretariat (mailto:secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au) if you would like to be involved in this project and/or have comment on possible testing parameters.
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2. SESSION 3 - B-CYCLE CONSULTATION WITH ABRI MEMBERS - 11 NOVEMBER |
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The third B-cycle consultation session with ABRI members (11 November) focused on
- ABRI updates on the development of mixed battery guidelines and website changes to increase information available on member commercial services
- B-cycle discussions around potential guidance on handling damaged batteries, communications and safety, and an update on the B-cycle tracking app
The presentations are available:
This Member Bulletin contains further separate news items on the mixed battery guidelines, ABRI website changes and a workshop to discuss guidance around handling of damaged batteries.
If you are not already part of this consultation process and/or would like the invitation extended to others in your organisation, please contact the ABRI Secretariat at (mailto:secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au) to be included in the consultation sessions.
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3. ABRI MEMBERS MEETING - 2PM TO 4.30PM, 1 DECEMBER 2021 - ENHANCING MEMBER SERVICES AND SETTING FUTURE STRATEGIC DIRECTION |
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The ABRI Executive Committee is looking forward to seeing you at the Festival of Ideas and General Meeting on 1 December (2 to 4.30pm) to discuss how ABRI can prioritise work in 2022 to add value to your organisation.
The meeting agenda is:
- President update
- ABRI vision and Code of Conduct, supporting a battery circular economy and the battery recycling industry
- Achievements for 2021
- Strategic direction for 2022
- Framework for working groups – What would you like ABRI to prioritise? How else can ABRI value to your organisation?
- CEO update
- Potential Projects to be delivered in 2022
- Focus on networking opportunities and how ABRI can support your organisation
- Session 1 breakout groups – Prioritising ABRI’s 2022 work program and beyond
- What do you see as the battery recycling industry’s priorities for 2022?
- How can ABRI activities align with your organisation’s priorities?
- List the top long term challenge ABRI should be working on now?
- Session 2 breakout groups – how else can ABRI add value to your organisation?
- Where does ABRI provide the most value for your organisation?
- Where can ABRI improve in assisting your organisation?
- How can ABRI build its profile to support the battery recycling industry?
- Report back and wrap up
Email mailto:secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au if you haven’t received an invitation and would like to join.
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4. RENEWING YOUR ABRI MEMBERSHIP - A LOOK AT THE YEAR AHEAD |
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2022 ABRI membership renewal invoices are going out this week and to give you a flavour of what’s being considered in 2022 below is a table of proposed projects. These will be discussed in more detail at the Festival of Ideas on 1 December.
If you have any questions, please call Katharine Hole on 0488 216 750 or send Katharine Hole an email to mailto:secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au.
Table of Proposed ABRI 2022 Projects
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5. DISCUSSION FORUM ON HANDLING OF DAMANGED MIXED BATTERIES - 2PM THURSDAY 18 NOVEMBER |
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As part of the information sessions for ABRI members with Battery Stewardship Council (BSC), ABRI has arranged a workshop on Thursday 18 November to discuss options for managing disposal of damaged batteries. Management of damaged batteries is a complex area requiring options to be evaluated against minimising fire and environmental risks, safety and compatibility with battery recycling processes.
Given the interactions with government regulatory and emergency management frameworks, invitations to this workshop have also been issued to some emergency management and environment agencies.
If you are interested in attending this forum, please email the ABRI Secretariat mailto:secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au.
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6. OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE DRAFT UPDATED ABRI GUIDELINE FOR STORAGE AND TRANSPORT OF MIXED BATTERIES |
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ABRI is updating its guideline for the storage and transport of mixed batteries. The proposed purpose of the guidelines is to outline transport, safety and environment protection features of the three steps to support safe delivery of used, mixed, portable batteries after drop-off through to delivery to a battery recycler. The three steps are:
- Packaging
- Storage by a collector pending transport to the battery recycler, if not taken directly to the recycler
- Transport at any stage of the process, either directly to the battery recycler or to a consolidation point, such as a warehouse or sorting facility, and then onforwarding to the battery recycler
ABRI is seeking feedback from members on the draft guideline (working draft_ABRI Mixed Battery Guidelines_NOT FOR USE) and would particularly like to draw on member expertise to inform:
- Definition of portable/mixed batteries, factors for consideration
- Drafted based on European framework but does this work for Australian context
- Useable for BSC processes but broader than BSC requirements recognising that principles apply to a broader range of battery types
- Could apply BSC reporting framework – is there a preference?
- Mixed batteries are loads of loose batteries that contain any combination of batteries. ABRI guidelines would cover a broader range of batteries than B-cycle but would be applicable to all mixed battery loads.
- Portable batteries
- sealed, can be hand-carried without difficulty, designed to be changed by the user of the equipment
- Not automotive, industrial or battery energy storage systems
- Batteries in the B-cycle scheme are capped at a weight of 5kg. However, portable batteries can be larger than 5kg.
- Battery (electrode) chemistry is important for determining whether the batteries are considered dangerous (hazardous) goods.
Please email feedback to the ABRI Secretariat mailto:secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au.
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7. ABRI WEBSITE UPDATES - PROMOTING MEMBER SERVICES |
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ABRI is updating its website to provide more information on member services to make it easier for interested parties to find commercial battery collection (pick-up), transport and recycling services. The website will also align with B-cycle activities.
- ABRI website – provide information on state/territory/Australia wide services for parties seeking collection, transport, recycling and stewardship advisory services. For granular information, i.e. by postcode on drop off locations ABRI would link to the B-cycle website.
- B-cycle website– provide granular information by postcode of drop-off locations for used batteries eligible under the B-cycle scheme. B-cycle would also contain information about services provided by scheme participants.
To accommodate this information, four changes will be made to the website and are proposed to be ready by December. The changes are:
- Provide information on the ABRI website focusing on ABRI members providing commercial services and B-cycle supporting drop-off locations and battery stewardship. ABRI’s website will cover all batteries not just those eligible under B-cycle.
- Updating information on ‘Finding a recycler’ to allow sorting by:
- Location – state and/or territory
- Battery type (chemistry)
- Battery service (collection, transport, recycling)
- Businesses looking for battery recycling members who service
- Domestic/Recreational/Commercial (small business)
- Commercial (large business)
- Commercial businesses providing batteries for automotive, marine and/or recreational uses
- Industrial (manufacturing)
- Battery energy storage
- Participation and/or accreditation in B-cycle and will align with BSC accreditation framework
- Battery types – examining providing more detail on different types of lithium batteries
- Present results of companies matching criteria on random basis not alphabetical
Please email feedback and/or expressions of interest to participate in testing the website to the ABRI Secretariat mailto:secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au.
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