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Battery calculator
This calculator helps you to check if you supply 32kg or more of portable batteries to end-users (consumers or businesses) per year, and therefore whether you will have obligations as a distributor under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009.
How to use the calculator
To use this calculator, enter the number of batteries you supply under the relevant category in a 12 month period, in the quantity column.
If you do not know how many batteries you supply in a year, you can enter an average monthly figure.
Please note, ‘supply’ includes selling, providing and/or making available portable batteries to end-users.
What type of figures would you like to enter?
You must choose to enter either figures from a 12 month period or an average month:
Your yearly total
Your estimated yearly total
Please note: The accuracy of the estimate provided by this calculator is dependent upon the accuracy of the information inserted by the user. If the amount of batteries supplied in the chosen time period changes, the estimate should be recalculated.
This calculator only provides weights for the most common types of portable battery and in a limited number of pack sizes: in practice, there are many more portable battery types available, and in a variety of pack sizes. Distributors supplying laptop and mobile phone batteries or button cells, for example, must bear in mind that the weights of these batteries are not included in this calculator, and must take this into account when determining the weight of batteries they supply each year.
The weights for rechargeable batteries and single use batteries are assumed to be the same.
If calculator shows 32kg or over p/a:
You supply 32kg or over of portable batteries to end-users per annum, and have obligations as a distributor under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009. These include:
- offering take-back facilities for waste portable batteries, free of charge to the public
- providing end-users with information about the take-back facility (e.g. at the sales point)
- accepting all types of waste portable battery – not just the ones you sell
Details of what you will need to do, and how you can get these waste batteries collected from you free of charge, are available at the following links:
- Distributor Information Leaflet
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Advisory Note on the Storage and Transport of Waste Portable Batteries
- Guidance Note to the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009
If after reading these documents, you are unclear as to what you need to do, you can contact the Portable Batteries team at portable.batteries@defra.gsi.gov.uk
If calculator shows less than 32kg p/a:
You sell less than 32kg of portable batteries to end-users per annum, and have no obligations under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009.
However, if you would still like to offer a waste battery take-back service to your customers, then you are able to do so, and important information that you should be aware of is available at the following links:
- Distributor Information Leaflet
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Advisory Note on the Storage and Transport of Waste Portable Batteries
Page last modified:
9 December 2009
Page published: 9 December 2009