Lib Dems welcome battery recycling points at Libraries

9.33.21am GMT Mon 8th Mar 2010

The Kent Lib Dem group has welcomed a move by Kent County Council to make it easier for residents to dispose of spent batteries responsibly by placing special boxes for old batteries in all its libraries.

The scheme, claimed to be the first of its kind in the country, was launched on 1 March to help meet the new European Batteries Directive, which makes it illegal to send batteries to landfill.

Lib Dem County Councillor Tim Prater welcomed the move. He said;

"Making it easier to recycle is good news, and new collection points in libraries will be a real help. The scheme costs the Council nothing, but puts a new service into libraries."

Under the new European Batteries Directive, the responsibility of paying for the cost of recycling lies with battery manufacturers, not the council. This means they pay for Kent County Council's contractor to provide the recycling boxes. All used batteries from small and portable appliances can be dropped off at the library.

The UK target is to move from recycling 2% of portable batteries in 2007, to 25% (7,500 tonnes) by 2012, rising to at least 45% in 2016.

You can still recycle batteries at household waste and recycling centres. To find your nearest library visit www.kent.gov.uk/libraries or call the contact centre on 08458 247 247.