In an attempt to prevent and reduce waste and pollution from batteries, the Federal Government formally introduced the National Environmental (Battery Control), Regulations 2024.
The National Environmental Regulations (Battery Control) is saddled with the responsibility of addressing problems caused by unlicensed recyclers and uncontrolled battery disposal, recycling, and collection practices.
Mallam Balaraba Abbas Lawal, the Environment Minister, stated that the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) created the regulations to guarantee the environmentally responsible handling of all battery types during their lifecycle, including production, usage, collection, transportation, storage, recycling, and disposal.
Speaking through the Director, Pollution Control and Public Health, Usman Abdullahi Bokani, the Minister said that even though batteries were essential to the nation’s economic growth, improper handling and lack of maintenance posed a serious risk to public health and the environment.
“The ecosystem around these battery recycling facilities has been polluted and waste lead is often dumped indiscriminately in unauthorised locations without proper permits,” he lamented, expressing his displeasure with the battery industry and recycling facilities.
According to him, a major factor in environmental pollution, including contaminated soil, air, and water, is the informal sector, which frequently handles waste batteries without following regulations.
Speaking further, the Minister said that dangerous elements included in the batteries include lithium, cadmium, lead, and mercury, stressing that these materials can cause serious health problems like cancer, kidney damage, and neurological disorders if they are not disposed of properly and vulnerable populations, particularly children, are most at risk of exposure to these toxic substances.
“The purpose of these regulations is to establish a formal framework for the recycling of batteries, encourage safe disposal practices, reduce pollution to the environment, and facilitate the rollout of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for Nigeria’s battery industry.”
In addition to requiring producers to accept full responsibility for the life cycle of their products, the EPR Program requires producers, collectors, and recyclers to collaborate with the Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) and the Alliance for Responsible Battery Recycling (ARBR) to guarantee the environmentally responsible collection, transportation, storage, and recycling of used batteries.
He went on to say that Nigeria played a crucial role in several international conventions, treaties, and agreements, including the Bamako Convention on the Prohibition of Imports Into Africa and the Based Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Waste within Africa.
He said the Federal Government’s development and introduction of the National Policy on Waste Battery Management in 2022 was in keeping with Nigeria’s obligations under the convention, and that the recently introduced Regulations would offer the necessary framework to enforce compliance in accordance with global standards.
Therefore, the recently implemented Regulations offer the essential legislative framework to compel adherence and guarantee Nigeria’s continuous protection of the environment and public health.
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