The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has opened registration for the first working session of its Battery Collection Best Practices and Battery Labeling Guidelines initiative, with a goal of increasing battery recycling. The session is intended to discuss best practices and guidelines that will increase the collection and recycling of used consumer electric and portable batteries, vehicle batteries, and storage and industrial batteries.
Launch of Initiative and its Focus on Batteries
Batteries can contribute to a number of waste challenges, as they can release toxins and contribute to air pollution and fires. When discarded improperly, critical materials within the batteries may be lost and unrecyclable, as EPA details.
EPA’s effort to optimize the recycling of batteries is an outcome of a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) that requires the agency to develop battery collection best practices and battery labeling guidelines. To achieve this, EPA will host a series of working sessions through 2024 to inform the development of a best practices toolkit that features guidance, tools, templates, and training materials for state, tribal, and local governments to use when implementing battery collection and recycling programs. EPA reports that the best practices will cover a wide array of battery types (lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, etc.) and uses (electric vehicles, consumer products, industrial storage, etc.), and the toolkit will be finalized in 2026.
As specified in the BIL, the best practices must:
At the first working session, scheduled for March 19 at 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET, EPA will share background and context around the effort and discuss next steps, and webinar participants are encouraged to provide input on the process.
Access more information on EPA’s webpage on Battery Collection Best Practices and Battery Labeling Guidelines and register for the March 19 webinar.
In addition to the battery initiative, under the BIL, EPA is also launching the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program, and Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program. Read about EPA efforts to support the three initiatives.
For updates on the initiative and future sessions, stakeholders can sign up to get involved on EPA’s website.
EPA Provides Update to Lower Embodied Carbon Construction Materials Program
EPA also announced in early March that it has released draft criteria for Product Category Rules (PCRs) in support of a new label for more climate-friendly construction materials and products, as part of the Label Program for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials created under the Inflation Reduction Act.
The $100 million program aims to cut climate pollution linked to the manufacturing of construction products and materials by helping to define what constitutes “clean” construction materials, as ANSI previously reported.
The draft criteria were developed with input from stakeholders, including in response to an RFI, issued last year. Criteria will support both grantees and the broader marketplace in developing more robust product Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
Upon publication of the Federal Register notice, written comments should be submitted to docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2024-0075 on www.regulations.gov by Thursday, April 4.
EPA will hold a webinar on March 21 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET to educate stakeholders on the PCR Criteria, and how it is expected to improve EPDs in support of the label program. Registration is now open.
Access more information about EPA’s Label Program for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials.
