Product Update - New EU Battery Directive

A new EU Battery Directive came into effect in September 2008. This directive regulates the manufacture and disposal of batteries in the European Union and seeks to improve the environmental performance of batteries.

BatteriesWet Cell Batteries - Product Notice regarding the EU Battery Directive

A new EU Battery Directive came into effect in September 2008. This directive regulates the manufacture and disposal of batteries in the European Union and seeks to improve the environmental performance of batteries.

Its main aim is to establish the use of less hazardous substances in the manufacture of batteries and better waste management of these batteries, including recycling, collections, "take-back" programs, and disposal. (Please see details of our Free recycling service page 6 of our battery catalogue).

As well as the environmental performance and recycling elements there are various data and labelling requirements that will apply to batteries. These include a crossed wheelie bin on the battery and chemical symbols (Hg, Cd, Pb) indicating the heavy metal content of batteries containing more than a specified amount of these substances.

The other significant labelling developments, relate to the capacity of the battery. It is proposed that the label presents the capacity performance of the battery as supplied new rather than its optimum performance, as battery capacity performance can increase when in use; the optimum performance rating is likely to be achieved after weeks or even months (as opposed to days) of use.

Therefore, typically you will note on the new battery labelling a lower capacity rating to previously, importantly, this does not mean that the battery has a lower performance. The quality and performance of the Vapormatic battery range has not changed, it is only the rating shown on the labelling which has been changed.

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The Vapormatic Company Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 538655.
Registered Office: PO Box 58, Kestrel Way, Sowton Industrial Estate, Exeter, Devon, England. EX2 7NB
Original equipment manufacturers names and parts numbers are quoted for reference purposes only
and are not intended to suggest that our replacement parts are made by the original equipment manufacturer.