The aim is for all imported batteries and electrical and electronic equipment to be reported via the same system, regardless of the producer organisation. This will facilitate the work of producers.
Producer responsibility applies to all batteries placed on the Finnish market, regardless of whether they have been imported as separate batteries or as part of a device or machine. Therefore, it is important to examine the fulfilment of producer responsibility for batteries from a broader perspective than a single producer organisation.
Companies that have transferred their producer responsibility to Akkukierrätys Pb or Recser can now conveniently take care of their producer responsibility and the reporting of products they place on the market through a one-stop-shop system. Traditionally, each producer organisation has had a separate reporting system, but the new model allows companies to report almost all of the batteries they import, regardless of the producer organisation.
Producers who have joined a producer organisation for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) can also use the same reporting system to report the imported volumes of all electrical and electronic equipment. Companies can join a WEEE producer organisation via the service company Elker, which manages the reporting system.
One producer can belong to several producer organisations
Companies that import or manufacture products subject to producer responsibility must join one or more producer organisations to fulfil their producer responsibilities. Producer organisations are always only responsible for providing waste management for certain products; for example, a WEEE producer organisation is responsible for the collection and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment, while a battery producer organisation is responsible for the collection and recycling of certain types of batteries.
For instance, if a company imports electric modes of transport, such as electric bikes, it must take care of its producer responsibility both via a WEEE producer organisation and the battery producer organisation Recser. This also applies to other companies that import laptops, phones or other electrical and electronic equipment containing batteries.
A company that only imports starter batteries or industrial lead-acid batteries can take care of its producer responsibility by joining the lead-acid battery producer organisation Akkukierrätys Pb. In contrast, vehicle importers are subject to several producer responsibilities; in other words, they must take care of their producer responsibility for the vehicle, starter batteries, electric vehicle batteries, tyres and the electrical and electronic equipment and small batteries contained by the vehicle.
The one-stop-shop principle facilitates the reporting of battery volumes
Akkukierrätys Pb Oy and Recser Oy are producer organisations established by battery importers. They are tasked with taking care of the collection and recycling of the battery types under their responsibility. The service company Elker Oy is owned by the WEEE producer organisations SELT ry, ICT Producer Co-operative and FLIP ry.
Akkukierrätys Pb Oy and Recser Oy in collaboration with Elker Oy are developing a joint reporting system that will allow batteries and electrical and electronic equipment to be reported based on the one-stop-shop principle. The aim of this joint reporting system is to facilitate the reporting work of producers and help them take care of their producer responsibilities sustainably.
There are a total of four battery producer organisations and five WEEE producer organisations in Finland.