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1. UPDATE YOUR COMPANY INFORMATION ON THE ABRI WEBSITE |
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Update your company information on the ABRI website so that councils and other battery collectors interested in recycling batteries can find your business and understand the services you provide. There are three key areas of interest – type of service offered (e.g. collection, transportation and recycling), geographic areas of service (regional versus metro) and types of batteries for which your service is offered.
The Secretariat refers parties interested in collecting and recycling batteries to the Find a Battery Recycler section of the ABRI website. ABRI is considering expanding the member services information on its website so that it is better tailored to the requests that the ABRI Secretariat is increasingly receiving.
The ABRI Secretariat is also working with the Battery Stewardship Council to align information on the ABRI website with the Battery Stewardship Scheme.
Next steps:
- Members – Review your information on the ABRI website to ensure it is current and consider what additional information might be useful for your customers
- Members – Let the ABRI Secretariat know what information you would like added or would help improve the ABRI website
- ABRI Secretariat – send a formal request for information to members to confirm which states/territories, services and battery recycling types members are supporting
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2. ABRI ENGAGEMENT WITH VIC EPA ON ULAB |
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ABRI continues to engage with the Victorian EPA to provide information on the lead acid battery recycling sector. This includes:
- tracking the multiple and varied pathways for lead acid batteries from the time they are replaced (i.e. become used) with new ones to delivery to a recycler;
- looking at the various players and activities at each stage of the process; and
- the number of batteries involved at each stage of the process.
This work has highlighted the diversity of lead acid battery applications and the entities replacing old for new.
Further clarity on the EPA’s enforcement approach to waste duties with respect to used lead acid batteries is expected shortly. This will be sent to members once available.
Vic EPA has advised that the best way to escalate waste tracker matters is to email waste.tracker@epa.vic.gov.au and cc Heather Hawkins, Focus Area Lead, Compliance Industry Program at heather.hawkins@epa.vic.gov.au.
Anyone not already participating in Vic EPA engagement who would like to do so should contact Katharine Hole, ABRI CEO, at secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au.
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3. WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS |
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ABRI welcomes the following new members:
Close the Loop provides sustainable solutions for the recycling of complex waste streams to minimise waste and work towards a circular economy. Further information can be found at https://www.closetheloop.com.au/
Chunxing Corporation who is developing a used lead acid battery recycling facility at Hazelwood North in Victoria. Further information can be found at https://www.chunxing.com.au/
Federal Batteries has serviced the needs of Automotive, Commercial, and Industrial customers in the Australian Market since 1990. Further information can be found at www.federalbatteries.com.au
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4. PRESENTATIONS FROM ABRI MEMBERS GENERAL MEETING - 25 AUGUST - FOCUS ON SAFETY |
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The 25 August ABRI Members Meeting focused on battery industry safety.
Presentations from the meeting are available at the following links:
- Vic EPA Fire Prevention Program, Rachel Gualano, Director – Waste Crime Prevention, Regulatory Standards & Enforcement
- Alternative Energy Doctrine Group Presentation, Christopher Forster, Fire and Rescue NSW. The videos included in the presentation will not reproduce via this link. If you would like the full presentation with the videos please email secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au. Fire and Rescue NSW and Country Fire Authority, Victoria, have noted that they need to be informed if you wish to reproduce any of the information from this presentation.
- Battery Stewardship Scheme Update, Jade Barnaby, Director – Best Practice and Innovation
- ABRI Financials and CEO Update_August 2021, Chris Tangey, ABRI Treasurer, and Katharine Hole, ABRI CEO
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5. UPCOMING ABRI EVENTS WITH CSIRO |
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ABRI is working with the CSIRO on two events and further information will be provided shortly:
- Early October – A battery safety webinar covering: battery abuse testing; battery safety testing; and battery certification.
- 20 October – CSIRO and ABRI presentation of the draft battery characteristics framework. This builds on the feedback received at the workshop (28 July) which discussed what a framework could look like for comparing the characteristics of different battery technologies including their environmental and safety risks. The output of this project will be used to inform where work on policy and regulatory issues should be prioritised.
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6. POLICY AND REGULATORY NEWS IMPACTING BATTERY STEWARDSHIP AND SAFETY |
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Cwlth Electronic Stewardship Work Program
The Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) is running a work-program to better understand e-waste in Australia and identify potential e-stewardship opportunities. The ABRI Secretariat will let interested members know how they can participate in roundtables around the country which are tentatively scheduled for September and October. Fact Sheet – E-Stewardship Work Program
Qld Developing E-Products Action Plan
The Ewaste Watch Institute is partnering with the Queensland Department of Environment and Science to co-design and develop an action plan to address the waste-related issues and impacts from electrical and electronic products (e-products) in Queensland. The Plan will define ‘ewaste’ and confirm the product scope as well as identify the issues, impacts and opportunities. This QLD E-Products Action Plan Briefing Note contains more information. Worksafe Victoria – Launch of new Dangerous Goods newsletter
WorkSafe has recently launched a new Dangerous Goods Newsletter, the ‘DG Digest’. This 3 monthly newsletter will provide information and guidance to duty holders who use, manufacture, store, sell, transport or import dangerous goods. Subscribe to the DG Digest here. Victorian EPA media release: Stamp out your fire risk
Fire prevention teams from Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) have inspected over 200 waste and resource recovery sites across Victoria so far this year, as part of a targeted prevention campaign. This media release provides an update on the program and reports on findings. ABRI is participating in the development of the third phase of this program and will be participating in a workshop on Friday 3 September.
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