Approved Battery Treatment Operators and Exporters

All portable batteries accepted by a Battery Compliance Scheme (BCS) must be treated by an Approved Battery Treatment Operator (ABTO) or exported for treatment through an Approved Battery Exporter (ABE). All Automotive and Industrial Batteries must also be treated by an ABTO or exported for treatment through an ABE.

All batteries will have to be treated to accepted European standards regardless of where they are treated. ABTOs and overseas sites that ABEs send waste batteries to will have to meet local Waste licensing requirements. The European commission has published a report by the Expert team to Support Waste Implementation (ESWI) to assess the Best Available Techniques (BAT) for battery recycling.

How to apply to become an ABTO or an ABE

Applications can be made through the National Waste Packaging Database (NPWD). Organisations can apply at any time of the year but any approval will only apply until the end of that calendar year. Guidance on the approval process is available on the NPWD

Note:

An ABTO will be licensed to treat Portable, or Automotive and Industrial Batteries or both. All ABTOs and ABEs must report the amount of waste batteries treated or exported in that year. ABTOs and ABEs treating or exporting Portable batteries will be able to issue evidence notes on waste batteries.