Australia's leading battery manufacturer, recycler and the national battery stewardship scheme have issued an urgent call for the NSW Government to activate the Product Lifecycle Responsibility Regulation 2025 (Batteries) before the end of the year, warning that every day of delay increases risks for households, children, waste workers and emergency responders.
The joint industry statement, coordinated through B-cycle, Australia's national ACCC-accredited battery recycling scheme developed by the Battery Stewardship Council, urges the NSW Government to act now as safety risks rise across households, workplaces and waste facilities. Industry partners say mandatory regulation is essential to protect the community and ensure the full battery lifecycle is accountable, from manufacturing and import to retail, collection and recycling.
B-cycle CEO, Libby Chaplin, said the voluntary scheme has reached the limit of what can be achieved without regulation. Each day of inaction leaves NSW exposed to preventable fire and injury risks, "This is, and has been for some time now, a public safety issue. NSW families, children, waste workers, and fire and rescue services are carrying the cost of delays. The only way to reduce these risks at scale is to activate mandatory regulation and require all producers, online sellers and importers to play their part. The community expects the Government to act and protect people before more avoidable harm occurs."
Once activated, the Regulation will:
- close free-rider loopholes by ensuring online, cross-border and marketplace sellers contribute fairly
- secure stable funding so the Scheme can expand access, infrastructure and safety education
- enable B-cycle 2.0, including the future recovery of embedded batteries
- give industry, councils and emergency agencies the certainty needed to manage fast-growing battery risks
Industry signatories warn that voluntary participation alone cannot keep pace with the surge in battery-powered products, online sales and emerging battery types. Without regulation the system cannot be safe. Global battery leader Duracell explains, "As a responsible global battery producer, Duracell has long invested in safer product design, consumer education, and responsible end-of-life management. But the safety of NSW households should not rely on the voluntary efforts of only a few committed companies. Mandatory regulation is essential to ensure every manufacturer, importer and online seller meets the same safety obligations, and that all families have clear, accessible options for safe battery disposal. The risks are growing - and the time to act is now." said Mariusz Surmacz, Managing Director, Duracell Australia
Australia's largest battery recycler also backs the call, "As frontline recyclers, we are investing millions to build systems for safe and responsible battery recovery in Australia. However, the current 15% collection rate from the voluntary battery stewardship scheme is insufficient. Without a nationally mandated, commercially viable scheme that funds the full cost of safe battery collection, transport and recycling - and improves consumer awareness - fires in the waste sector will persist. The recycling sector should not shoulder the financial burden of a voluntary model where variable participation leaves critical recycling costs unfunded. Only through regulation can we establish the certainty and consistency needed across the supply chain, providing brand owners with accountable end-of-life solutions and ensuring consumers have a reliable and safe method for disposing of batteries," said Spyro Kalos, National Partnerships Manager (ANZ), EcoCycle Group.
continues
Australia's leading circular economy and stewardship advisors also support urgent action, "Mandating product stewardship immediately and closing free-rider loopholes in battery stewardship, is a no-brainer. Although the battery waste stream is relatively small in tonnage, it poses serious safety risks if not properly managed whilst at the same time contains valuable resources and critical minerals. Swift and decisive action to implement mandatory stewardship will immediately protect workers and infrastructure from battery fires, which are currently out of control and which pose a serious risk to the ongoing viability of recycling in Australia." said Mike Ritchie, Managing Director, MRA Consulting Group.
Action is urgently needed now as risks in NSW continue to increase:
- Household and kerbside waste fires linked to lithium-ion batteries continue to rise across Australia
- Button-battery ingestion remains a major health hazard for young children
- The December to January holiday period - and post this - brings the highest spike in new battery purchases and battery-related incident risks
- Waste and recycling workers face heightened danger when batteries are incorrectly binned
- Battery fires can destroy waste trucks costing around $500,000 each, and damage to recycling facilities can reach into the millions
- Fire and Rescue NSW continues to respond to fires, many of which could be prevented through better collection, consumer education and supply-chain compliance
Industry partners are urging the NSW Government to take the following actions as a matter of urgency, consistent with the Joint Industry Statement:
- Finalise and gazette the Regulation by 31 December 2025
- Commence the Regulation by 31 March 2026
- Appoint a single Product Stewardship Organisation (PSO) by 1 April 2026
- Close free-rider loopholes to ensure online, cross-border and marketplace sellers are captured
They note that swift implementation will reduce community risk over the holiday period and beyond, and enable B-cycle to deliver a safer, fully funded and nationally consistent system.
