EU to force battery-makers to clean up
European law-makers propose global standards to avoid environmental time bombEurope will impose tighter restrictions on battery manufacturers in a boost to further improve the environmental benefits of pure-electric cars.
According to reports, the European Union will set out stringent new regulations next month to ensure all batteries made within the region are greener throughout their lifecycles.
As part of the EU's ambitious plans to clean up how batteries are made, new laws will force manufacturers to slash the amount of hazardous substances used in production, both in the battery itself and the waste products.
New rules will also incentivise companies to boost energy efficiency of the batteries and production techniques, while manufacturers will be forced to pursue more responsible and ethical sourcing of raw materials.
The drive to improve the environmental standard in the battery industry follows the EU investing billions to ensure Europe can compete with Asia.
Last year alone, the EU approved €3.2 billion ($A5.2bn) in support to BMW, PSA Group and battery-maker BASF.
The massive investments directed towards battery manufacturers comes from the EU's Green Deal that is targeting zero net greenhouse gas emissions across Europe by 2050.
To reach that goal, the EU needs to cut transport emissions by 90 per cent.
As well as supporting the European car industry, the EU is also enticing other companies to produce batteries in Europe to help prepare for unprecedented demand.
China's Svolt Energy Technology has already announced that it will open a factory in Germany, while Tesla's battery partner, Panasonic, has plans to start building batteries in Norway in the near future.
Commenting on the eve of the unveiling of the new more stringent regulations, EU environment commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius said: “In our assessment, the EU will become the second-biggest global market for batteries.
“The number of batteries placed on the EU market and their importance will only grow in the coming years. Their sustainability should not lag behind.”
Once introduced, the new rules will force a change not only within the 27 countries that make up the EU, but the global battery-making industry as a whole as any batteries that do not meet the environmental or ethical standards imposed will not be allowed to be imported.
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