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This guidance applies to waste automotive, industrial and portable lead acid batteries. It does not apply to other types of waste battery.

The plastic cases of waste lead acid batteries may contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Identify waste lead acid batteries that contain POPs

You can identify if a waste lead acid battery may contain POPs by checking:

• what type of plastic the case is made from
• if bromine is present in the polymer

Where the battery case is made of :

• polypropylene plastic only it should not contain POPs
• other plastics for example acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) - it may contain POPs

You can also use x-ray fluorescence (XRF) to scan the plastic case for bromine, an indicator of the presence of brominated flame retardants including POPs. However, you must:

• have the right training for using XRF and use a suitable device
• contact the Environment Agency to check if you need to make any changes to your permit and management system
• be able to show that your assessment process works and is accurate the Environment Agency may ask you for this evidence

You are not required to use XRF to scan for bromine.

You can assume that POPs are not present, and the following guidance does not apply to that battery if you can demonstrate that the battery case either:

• is made of only polypropylene plastic, not other polymers
• does not contain bromine at relevant levels

If you do not know the type of plastic the lead acid battery case is made from, and have not scanned it using XRF to identify the presence of bromine, you should assume it contains POPs.

Describe lead acid batteries that contain POPs

In your waste consignment note you must describe waste lead acid batteries that may contain POPs as containing POPs.

You should list the following additional chemicals in the composition:

• decabromodiphenyl ether
• hexabromodiphenyl ether antimony trioxide

You must classify the lead acid battery containing POPs as shown in the following table.

(*) An asterisk at the end of the code means the waste is hazardous.

If the lead acid battery does not contain POPs, see the guidance on how to classify different types of waste electronic and electrical equipment.

Dispose of waste lead acid batteries containing POPs

You must destroy the lead acid batteries containing POPs, or the material containing the POPs, by sending them to either:

• an incinerator (D10 or R1 hazardous waste, municipal waste, or cement kiln)
• a metal smelter (R4) to destroy the POPs

The municipal or hazardous waste incinerator, cement kiln, must be authorised to accept POPs waste.

You must not use other waste recovery and disposal activities (including storage, treatment, landfill, or plastic recycling) except as indicated in this guidance.

Sort, store and repackage waste lead acid batteries containing POPs

You may only temporarily store or repackage waste lead acid batteries containing POPs before:

• pre-treatment to separate the POP containing materials for destruction
• destruction of the POPs

You must also sort lead acid batteries with polypropylene cases, that should not contain POPs, from those with other cases.

You must also hold an environmental permit or exemption that allows this activity.

Pre-treatment of the battery to separate the POP containing materials for destruction

You must only treat a waste lead acid battery containing POPs for the purpose of separating the POP containing plastic case materials for destruction.

You must send all fractions from the treatment of the battery that contain POPs containing plastic material for destruction.

The classification of the plastic fraction is changed by the presence of non-plastic (non-conforming) materials.

You should classify a separated plastic fraction that does not contain non-conforming materials as shown in the following table.

You should classify a separated plastic fraction that contains non-conforming materials as shown in the following table.

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

You must check the concentration of hazardous chemicals to determine if the 19 12 11* or 19 12 12 code applies, and if the waste is hazardous or non-hazardous.

Pre-treatment of plastic fractions to separate POP containing polymers for destruction

You must only treat the plastic fraction, from pre-treatment of the battery, by density separation (or equivalent) to reliably separate:

• the heavier POP containing ABS and other plastic
• the lighter unbrominated, polypropylene fraction

You must send the POP containing plastic fraction for destruction and should classify it as shown in the following table.

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

You must check the concentration of hazardous chemicals to determine if the 19 12 11* or 19 12 12 code applies, and if the waste is hazardous or non-hazardou

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