ABRI

Welcome to the Association for the Battery Recycling Industry

ABRI Member Bulletin ~ 9 March 2022

Setting ABRI priorities, regulator engagement and Q1 B-cycle operations

  1. ABRI AGM – new battery technologies, battery labelling and managing water damaged batteries
  2. Festival of Ideas – member feedback on ABRI priorities
  3. ABRI engagement with Vic and NSW environmental regulators on ULAB, lithium and B-cycle operations
  4. BSC – sharing learnings from B-cycle Q1 operations – save the date for 28 April
  5. BSC – consultation session 7, 2pm (AEST) 6 April
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1. ABRI AGM - NEW BATTERY TECHNOLOGIES, BATTERY LABELLING AND MANAGING WATER DAMAGED BATTERIES

The ABRI AGM ended with a lively discussion on activities that ABRI members would like added to the 2022 work program. As a next step, ABRI will arrange a:

  1. presentation on next generation new battery technologies such as sodium ion and large scale zinc to help members understand what’s coming down the pipeline and will need to be managed.
  2. workshop on battery labelling options to assist with end of life battery management. As a starting point, this will examine what’s happening in key international markets.
  3. section on the management of water damaged batteries on the ABRI website.

The key documents from the meeting are:
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2. FESTIVAL OF IDEAS - MEMBER FEEDBACK ON ABRI PRIORITIES

Building on the discussion of the AGM, this is Bulletin item sets out what members thought about ABRI’s work program and how ABRI can value to member organisations. The formal draft minutes from last December’s Festival of Ideas can be found at 20211201-Minutes-ABRI Gen Meeting and Festival of Ideas.

Prioritising ABRI’s 2022 work program and beyond

Key points

  • What do you see as the battery recycling industry’s 2022 priorities?
    • Success of B-cycle
    • Increasing understanding of BSC/B-cycle operations
    • Identifying priority areas for harmonisation – what’s the biggest burden administratively that ABRI could solve
    • Reducing barries of entry for new players
  • How can ABRI activities align with your organisation’s priorities?
    • Building understanding of landscape for environmental requirements around lithium
    • Provide data on the environmental footprint of batteries, impact on carbon figures and availability of information
    • Propelling best practice and insuring we are getting the most out of recycling for environmental.
    • Promotion of onshore processing,
    • Maximising return of usable materials not just diversion from landfill
    • Promotion of the success of the industry
  • List the top long term challenge ABRI should be working on now?
    • Harmonisation – need specifics
    • Single system of reporting of movements would be great.
    • Licensing or permissions state by state is super hard. Recognition of national approvals would change the game.
    • Onshore processing capacity

How else can ABRI add value to your organisation?

Key points

  • Where does ABRI provide the most value for your organisation?
    • Networking and exposure to regulators.
    • Networking with industry and others with similar issues.
    • Sharing of information and ideas
    • Helping industry understand regulatory requirements
    • ABRI will provide increasing value in the future as the regulations tighten
    • ABRI the trusted advisor and pool of easily understandable information. Pointing industry in the right direction.
  • Where can ABRI improve in assisting your organisation?
    • Building understanding of battery recycling and reuse
    • Simplest interpretation of the regulations.
  • How can ABRI build its profile to support the battery recycling industry?
    • Defining and educating best practice
    • Meet with other industry groups. Participate as keynote speakers. Groups like AAAA, local council association.
    • Social media, use the technology where we can
    • Simple messaging

 
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3. UPDATE ON REGULATORY ENGAGEMENT WITH VIC EPA AND NSW EPA

ABRI’s CEO, Katharine Hole, has been engaging with Victorian and NSW environmental regulators on a range of matters covering ULAB, B-cycle implementation and lithium-ion battery safety.

Vic EPA Engagement – ULAB

The Vic EPA is continuing to progress work on the General Designation framework for ULAB. A meeting was held with the Vic EPA on Friday 4 March to discuss unintended consequences with the proposed one tonne ULAB threshold for licensing for the storage, treatment, processing, containing or disposing of any reportable priority waste generated at another site. The Vic EPA is considering the examples and issues put by impacted ABRI members and will get back to ABRI. Further updates on this issue will be provided to ABRI members involved in the ULAB recycling chain in Victoria.

Vic EPA Engagement – lithium-ion battery safety

ABRI’s CEO wrote to the Vic EPA asking for an update on their strategy work to prevent fires from lithium-ion batteries. This follows ABRI and member engagement with the Vic EPA during 2021 on their fire prevention work program. The letter also asks

A copy of the letter is available at ABRI letter to Vic EPA CEO_Jan 2022.

NSW EPA Engagement – lithium-ion battery safety

ABRI’s CEO wrote to the NSW EPA seeking to understand how the EPA will apply its Regulatory Policy to B-cycle participants as operations ramp up and to seek collaboration on a range of other issues for the battery recycling industry.

A copy of the letter is available at ABRI Letter to NSW EPA CEO_Feb 2022.
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4. BSC - SHARING LEARNINGS FROM B-CYCLE Q1 OPERATIONS - SAVE THE DATE FOR 28 APRIL

Join ABRI and BSC for a face-to-face session in Melbourne to share learnings and build on the experiences of Q1 B-cycle operations. This will cover all B-cycle processes from collector through to sorter and recycler.  The session is being scheduled for Thursday 28 April (10am to 1.30pm). Further details will follow in coming weeks.

If you would like to register your interest, please email secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au.
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5. BSC ENGAGEMENT WITH ABRI MEMBERS - SESSION 7

The presentation from the latest BSC consultation session (2 March, Session 7) with ABRI members on B-cycle focused on

  • Success of the B-cycle launch as measured by audience reach statistics
  • Updating on B-cycle documentation including risk assessment guidance and container protocols
  • App login details and rebate payments key dates

The presentation can be found at B-cycle ABRI Consultation (session 7 – 2 March)

Session 8 will be held on 6 April and will provide an opportunity for members to discuss Q1 reporting and rebate payments. If there are items that you would like to see on the agenda, please email secretariat@batteryrecycling.org.au.
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