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1. REMINDER: ABRI SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING AND 2023 AGM – 10AM (AEST) 9 MARCH |
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The ABRI Special General Meeting and 2023 AGM will be held online on Thursday 9 March commencing at 10am (AEST). You can register to attend the meeting via Zoom – meeting registration.
To support the meeting, four documents are attached:
The AGM will focus on updating you on ABRI operations and governance, such as election of Executive Committee members. It is an opportunity to hear about ABRI’s activities over 2022 and planned activities for 2023.
Please note: ONLY PAID UP CORPORATE MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.
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2. ABRI LEADING BATTERY RECYCLING INDUSTRY VOICE AT THE AUSTRALIAN MADE BATTERY PLAN ROUNDTABLE |
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ABRI CEO, Katharine Hole, is attending the Australian Made Battery Plan Roundtable on 14 March 2023 to advocate for battery recycling industry priorities being included in the National Battery Strategy. The roundtable will allow the Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon Ed Husic MP, to hear from leading industry organisations on the challenges and opportunities to develop Australian battery industries and share ideas on how Australian Made batteries can help the Government achieve its clean energy transition objectives.
The Roundtable will also help inform the Federal Government’s Australian Plan Battery Plan, including developing Australia’s first National Battery Strategy, which will:
- Provide a comprehensive plan to develop a globally competitive, end-to-end Australian battery industry that builds on Australia’s strong innovation record and its resource potential; and
- Guide industry and governments towards a shared vision of an end-to-end battery manufacturing industry, and to inform governments about policy requirements to support future industry development.
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3. DRAFT US NEMA SAFE HANDLING OF HAZARDOUS VOLTAGE ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS (E.G. EVS) |
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NEMA (the US National Electrical Manufacturers Association) has shared with ABRI their Final Draft guidelines – Safe Handling of Hazardous Voltage Battery Storage Systems. They would greatly welcome feedback on the guidelines. Please share feedback with ABRI CEO, Katharine Hole, by 17 March.
NOTE: These guidelines are applicable to the US context and are not intended to be a comprehensive step by step process to eliminate all risks from dismantling energy storage systems. They are provided for information only. Australian requirements and definitions may vary.
In the guidelines, hazardous voltage is defined as 50 volts and above. The NEMA Energy Storage Council is developing the guidelines to:
- Identify safety issues in the handling of hazardous voltage battery packs;
- Identify electrical safety categories that are important to understand before proceeding with energized electrical work associated with automotive batteries and other hazardous voltage systems;
- Cover direct and indirect hazards, shock and arc boundaries and hazard risk categories;
- Inform mitigation measures such as: the use of personal protective equipment (PPE); proper storage/isolation in battery packs; and checking the current status of the battery such as best practices for testing the state of health of battery systems; and
- Set out other procedures for high voltage batteries such as obtaining a permit to work on vehicles using these batteries.
The NEMA Energy Storage Council consists of:
- Argonne National Laboratory
- Automotive Recyclers Association
- Battery Resourcers
- Call2Recycle
- EPRI
- Generac Power Systems, Inc.
- Kulr Technologies
- Tesla Inc.
- UL Solutions
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4. UPCOMING INFO SESSIONS - USED LEAD ACID BATTERIES SAFE TRANSPORT AND HANDLING + AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF DANGEROUS GOODS CONSULTANTS |
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Watch for further detail on two upcoming information sessions, which ABRI is organising to support members:
- Introduction to the Australian Institute of Dangerous Goods Consultants and how they can support the battery recycling industry. (late March)
- Used Lead Acid Batteries – safe transport and handling (early May). The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator will present to ABRI members in early May on the:
- safe transport and handling of used lead acid batteries; and
- the implications for batteries of the proposed new Waste & Recycling Industry Code of Practice for Load Management.
Further details will be available shortly. In the interim, if you have any questions/topics you’d like covered at the presentations please email ABRI CEO, Katharine Hole.
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5. NSW GOING CIRCULAR IN CLEAN ENERGY – 7 ACTIONS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO BATTERY RECYCLING AND REUSE |
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ABRI’s submission to the NSW Government’s Going Circular in Clean Energy issues paper emphasised how batteries readily lend themselves to the circular economy framework as there are processes whereby batteries can be turned into feedstock for other products and services. The challenge is safely, sustainably and cost effectively collecting and transporting used batteries to recyclers.
The submission put forward seven actions the NSW Government could take to remove barriers to battery recycling and reuse:
- Modernising the regulatory framework to prioritise resource recovery
- Streamlined regulatory processes
- Strategic/macro scale planning for management of collection and consolidation of used batteries
- Collaboration on best practice
- Collaboration on used and damaged battery infrastructure
- Establish a research hub
- Improve data collection and sharing of information especially on fire incidents
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6. WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS - MAGELLAN POWER AND MENDHAM CONSULTANTS |
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ABRI welcomes these new members:
- Magellan Power has been manufacturing and supplying DC & AC power systems and associated equipment since 1991. These systems providing customers with solutions especially built and tailored to specific project needs & Australia’s harsh climate conditions. Magellan Power supports battery reuse and recycling and is keen to work with customers on end of life solutions. Further information can be found on their website.
- Mendham Consultants a leading boutique engineering group specialising in all aspects of dangerous goods storage and handling design. They address everything from new Battery Energy Storage Systems assessments through to new and existing battery recycling storage facilities. They develop hazardous land use analysis and fire safety studies for new and existing facilities in accordance with a range of related legislation and standards. Mendham Consultants are industrial fire and risk engineers, so understand sitewide specific fire protection, detection and prevention systems, hazardous area classification and similar studies. Further information can be found on their website.
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7. BUILDING THE VOICE OF THE BATTERY RECYCLING INDUSTRY – JOIN THE ABRI COMMS WORKING GROUP |
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Thanks to those who’ve reached out to join ABRI’s communications working group.
For those who’d still like to join, this is a great opportunity to promote the battery recycling industry and meet fellow ABRI members – join ABRI’s new communications working group to strengthen the industry’s voice and raise awareness about the step change underway across the industry. The working group will develop a comms strategy, key messages about the industry and update the ABRI website to focus on B2B business development.
Email ABRI’s CEO, Katharine Hole, if you are interested in participating.
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