Groundbreaking regulations to address dangerous battery handling and disposal are a now open for community and industry feedback.
The regulations proposed by the Minns Labor Government seek to ensure that battery brand owners, who supply batteries for sale in NSW, take greater responsibility for the environmental and safety impacts of their products.
NSW is the first state to move to regulate batteries to take action against dangerous fires, and to achieve a more circular economy. This follows the Government passing the Product Lifecycle Responsibility Act 2025 earlier this year.
With 241 battery-related fire incidents in NSW so far this year, it has never been more important that companies that make and sell batteries and take responsibility for their products at the end of life. These new regulations will apply to small, removable, or rechargeable batteries under 5 kilograms and batteries used in devices like e-bikes and e-scooters.
Under the proposed regulations, it would be mandatory for battery brand owners to participate in a product stewardship scheme, paying a fee on their products. Third-party delivery groups would then be required to use those funds to create safer processes for battery disposal and handling.
Some of the proposed safety actions include:
- Keeping batteries out of landfill by maximising the volume of batteries that are recovered
- Rolling out public education campaigns to improve awareness of battery risks
- Safe disposal and recycling of battery products via dedicated collection points
- Reporting on the number of batteries supplied in NSW each year
Shifting from a voluntary stewardship scheme to a mandatory government-regulated approach will ensure integrity and accountability in managing the life cycle of batteries. It will also help to reduce the increasing number of battery-related fires in NSW.
Battery brand owners who fail to comply with the regulation would face penalties up to $880,000.
Public consultation is open for four weeks until 14 November 2025. For more information and to have your say, visit https://yoursay.epa.nsw.gov.au/draft-product-lifecycle-responsibility-regulation.
Quote attributable to Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe:
"We've seen a rise in battery fires over recent years, driven by the growing number of products powered by lithium-ion batteries. These fires are hot, fast and incredibly difficult to put out.
"I'm proud that NSW is the first state to move to regulate batteries. This regulation is crucial to reduce the risks batteries can pose when damaged, mishandled or improperly disposed of.
"By acting now to make product stewardship mandatory for certain batteries, we can keep potentially dangerous products out of the general waste system - protecting people, the environment and the waste and resource recovery sector from further harm."
