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Georgia Announces Technical Regulation on Batteries and Battery Waste Management

SafeGuardSElectrical & Electronics, Hardgoods, HardgoodsJuly 03, 2020

Georgia has published a Technical Regulation on batteries and battery waste management based on the EU Battery Directive. It will enter into force on September 1, 2020.

On May 27, 2020 Georgia published Resolution No. 324 of May 25, 2020 on ‘Approval of Technical Regulation on Batteries and Battery Waste Management (the Resolution). The Technical Regulation is modeled on Directive 2006/66/EC and its amendments (consolidated version to July 2018 for reference) in the European Union (EU).

The provisions in the Technical Regulation include, inter alia, the following:

  • Scope of batteries and accumulators
  • Obligations for economic operators – manufacturers (which includes importers), distributors, recyclers, processors and consumers
  • Provisions for the use of mercury, lead and cadmium in batteries and accumulators
  • Requirements for collection schemes and collection targets
  • Registration requirements for manufacturers – by June 1, 2021
  • Labeling requirements for batteries, accumulators and battery packs if these contain more than the specified quantity of mercury, cadmium and/or lead

The Resolution will enter into force on September 1, 2020.

Highlights of Articles 2, 4 and 17 of the Technical Regulation are summarized in Table 1.

Technical Regulation on Battery and Battery Waste Management
Resolution No. 324 of May 25 2020
Article No/Title
Highlight
2 ‘Scope’

The Technical Regulation applies to all types of batteries and accumulators, regardless of their shape, size, weight, composition and use, except those that are used in the following:

  • Military equipment, weapons and products for national security
  • Equipment designed to be launched into space
4 ‘Prohibition on Placing Batteries and Accumulators on the Market’

Requirements for mercury and cadmium:
≤ 5 mg/kg (0.0005%) mercury in all types of batteries and accumulators

≤ 20 mg/kg (0.002%) cadmium in portable batteries and accumulators (batteries, button cells, battery packs and accumulators that are sealed, can be carried by hand and are not industrial batteries or accumulators nor automotive batteries or accumulators) except for the following uses:

  • Emergency and alarm systems, including emergency lighting systems
  • Medical devices

Article 4 does not apply to batteries and accumulators installed in vehicles that have been removed from use.

17 ‘Labeling’

Batteries, accumulators and battery packs containing more than 5 mg/kg mercury (Hg), 20 mg/kg cadmium (Cd) or 40 mg/kg lead (Pb) are obliged to be marked with the relevant chemical symbol and placed beneath the ‘crossed out wheeled bin’ symbol (Annex II) as well as occupying at least one-quarter of the area of that symbol. 

The ‘crossed out wheeled bin’ symbol must cover at least 3%, but not more than 5 cm², of the largest side of the battery, accumulator or battery pack. The symbol for cylindrical cells must cover at least 1.5%, but not more than 5 cm², of the surface area of the battery or accumulator.

If the size of the battery, accumulator or battery pack is such that the symbol is smaller than 0.5 cm², a symbol of at least 1 cm² must be printed on the packaging.

Table 1

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