MEPs question call for heavy metal batteries ban

A call for new EU rules on batteries to include a ban on heavy metals met resistance at a meeting of the European Parliament's environment committee on Monday. The parliament is reconsidering its opinion after EU governments' reached a first reading agreement last year (EED 20/12/04).

In his proposal for parliament's second reading opinion, rapporteur Hans Blokland has insisted on banning cadmium, mercury and lead in most batteries, in line with EU directives on vehicles and waste electronics. He complains that the council adopted only lesser restrictions on nickel-cadmium batteries and none at all on lead batteries.