Recycling industry and fire department associations call for measures against battery fires that threaten livelihoods

Publication and handover of a joint position paper to Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Bettina Hoffmann

Federal Association for Secondary Raw Materials and Waste Disposal

'There are fires every day throughout Germany: the number of fires in the recycling and waste disposal industry is increasing at an alarming rate. This alarming situation is the direct result of the increase in battery-operated electrical appliances. This development is at the expense of waste disposal companies, recyclers and fire departments, while manufacturers have not yet been subject to any new obligations.

The four associations in the circular economy sector - the Federal Association of the German Waste, Water and Circular Economy (BDE), the Federal Association of German Steel Recycling and Disposal Companies (BDSV), the Federal Association of Secondary Raw Materials and Waste Management (bvse) and the Association of German Metal Dealers and Recyclers (VDM) - as well as the three fire department associations, the Federal Association of Industrial Fire Protection, the German Fire Service Association and the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection e.V, Deutscher Feuerwehrverband e.V. and Vereinigung zur Förderung des Deutschen Brandschutzes e.V. have therefore drawn up a joint position paper and presented it to Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Bettina Hoffmann of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) in Berlin on Tuesday, October 15.

Together, the associations are calling for political measures to protect the health of their members, ensure security of supply and enable a functioning circular economy.'

 
'Batteries are often discarded as waste and therefore potentially cause fires in disposal vehicles, recycling centers or plants. Around 80 million disposable battery-powered e-cigarettes alone are placed on the market every year without an adequate take-back system.

Although the recycling industry is investing massively in additional fire protection measures and the number of automatic fire detection and extinguishing systems has doubled since 2018, the volume and uncontrolled return of devices with lithium batteries is presenting companies with an almost impossible task and is resulting in more and more deployments by voluntary and professional fire departments. It is nothing short of a miracle that there have not yet been any fatalities.

Together, the undersigned associations are calling for the rapid implementation of efficient and quickly effective measures by politicians. The current cabinet decision to amend the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) falls far short of expectations. Effective proposals have already been put forward by the recycling industry in the past:

  •     Introduction of a battery deposit
  •     A manufacturer-financed fund solution that guarantees protection for the recycling and disposal industry in the event of a fire (similar to the Disposable Plastics Fund Act)
  •     A ban on disposable e-cigarettes or at least an effective deposit
  •     Mandatory labeling for batteries'
Please note that this is a translation of a part of the original press release in german by the Federal Association for Secondary Raw Materials and Waste Disposal (Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung) which you can find here.
 
 
On October 9th, the Federal Cabinet of the German government adopted a draft of the "Amendment to the Waste and Electrical Equipment Act." The amendment aims to improve the quality of collected waste and reduce the risk of fires caused by electrical and electronic equipment waste. However, concerns have been expressed by the bvse (German Association for Secondary Raw Materials and Waste Disposal) and the BDE (Federal Association of the German Waste Management, Water, and Circular Economy). These concerns include the draft’s perceived inadequacy in sustainably improving WEEE recycling and reducing fire risks. Critics argue that the proposal is unambitious and unlikely to meet expectations. Additionally, BDE President Anja Siegesmund emphasized the need for consistent measures, clear political will for fire prevention, and a ban on unnecessary disposable e-cigarettes.
 
 
 
References
 
Gesa Bauer und das ForumZ Team. (14.10.2024)Elektrogeräte Rücknahme. ForumZ. https://www.forumz.de/Netzwerk/Editors_Blog
 
 
 
 

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