Our recycling - GRS-Batterien

Stiftung Gemeinsames
Rücknahmesystem Batterien
Heidenkampsweg 44
20097 Hamburg
Telefon: + 49 (0) 40 23 77 88
Telefax: + 49 (0) 40 23 77 87
info@grs-batterien.de
www.grs-batterien.de

You and GRS Batterien:
The success of a strong partnership
Annual Review 2010
Reporting in accordance with the Battery Act

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Table of Contents
Audit certificate
Foreword
Our customers
Our collection rate
Our collection partners
Our sorting operations
Our recycling results
Our recycling activities
Our communications
Our foundation
Appendix (reporting pursuant to § 15 BattG)
Abbreviations, definitions, sources
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3
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5
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Audit certificate
Bestätigung
Der Unterzeichnende hat die vorliegende Erfolgskontrolle
sowie den Jahresbericht 2010 der
Stiftung Gemeinsames Rücknahmesystem
Batterien
Heidenkampsweg 44, 20097 Hamburg
auf Übereinstimmung mit § 15 des Batteriegesetzes vom
25. Juni 2009 (zuletzt geändert am 11. August 2010)
geprüft.
Da die Anforderungen des Batteriegesetzes vollumfänglich
erfüllt sind und die Daten und Angaben ein
verlässliches, glaubhaftes und wahrheitsgetreues Bild
wiedergeben, werden die Erfolgskontrolle und der Jahresbericht
2010 in der vorliegenden Fassung bestätigt.
Hamburg, 18. März 2011
Dr. Willi Bethäuser
Umweltgutachter *
Johannesstraße 15
66450 Bexbach
*Akkreditiert durch: DAU – Deutsche Akkreditierungs- und Zulas-
sungsgesellschaft für Umweltgutachter mbH (Zulassungsnummer:
DE-V-0179).

Foreword
Ladies and Gentlemen,
an eventful and successful year lies behind us.
In 2010, we took a number of different actions
to ensure that Stiftung GRS Batterien is ready
to face the challenges posed by the new battery
legislation into the future. GRS Batterien has
nearly reached the collection rate stipulated for
2016 today. But that is no reason for us to slacken
our efforts. Rather, we believe it is necessary
to be prepared for the markets of tomorrow by
sharpening our focus on customers and enhancing
efficiency.
Another important point this past year was the
integration of the fiduciary functions that had
previously been performed by the auditing firm
of KPMG and the billing of service fees into the
foundation’s own organization. Faced with rising
demand for service and increasing numbers of
users who wished a direct customer relationship
with us, we assumed responsibility for customer
management ourselves effective by the end of the
year. We are also focusing on the future harmonization
of the European registration processes
and are currently working hard to be able to offer
our users a standardized registration process in
the future that applies to multiple EU countries
simultaneously – a step that will significantly ease
the burden on all manufacturers that operate
throughout Europe. The changes taking shape
on the markets and the new battery systems that
are now available necessitate new approaches
to collecting spent batteries. Especially in light
of the rapid growth of the electric mobility sector,
farther-reaching collection systems will also
be required in the future. A legal framework that
provides for the future-proof collection of these
industrial batteries was put in place last year. At
the end of the year, Stiftung GRS Batterien was
able to establish the first comprehensive collection
system for batteries from electric bicycles,
for example.
Due to your trust and cooperation as our user and
our service providers we are the most effective
collection- and recycling system for spent batteries
in Europe. This stands for our collection at
retail, municipalities as well as industry.
I would like to thank the contributors who have
made this possible.
Sincerely,
Georgios Chryssos
Managing Director
Stiftung Gemeinsames Rücknahmesystem Batterien
Hamburg, March 2011
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Founded oncooperation:
Our customers
The number of users who rely on our expertise
nearly doubled in 2010, reaching a total of 2,394.
This development is due to the fact that many
manufacturers and marketers did not realize that
they were legally obligated to collect spent batteries
until the new Battery Act was passed. Registration
and publication of information on manufacturers
and battery brands with the Federal
Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) have
Number of battery producers and
–importers joining GRS Batterien
2,400
1,000
User
1,218
2,394
Year
only been required since 01 December 2009.
This registration portal also enables users to
identify “free riders” – battery manufacturers or
importers who have not met their obligations to
take back spent batteries yet.
The new Battery Act also marked the first time
that a distinction was drawn between portable
and industrial batteries.
Proportions of battery types put
into circulation
24,989 t
Primary batteries
8,993 t
Secondary batteries
As Europe’s largest battery collection system, we
are constantly at work on expanding the range of
services we offer. We now also offer collection
services for industrial batteries.
(Mass of batteries placed on the market: See Appendix, p. 12.)

Meeting future obligations today:
Our collection rate
We collected 14,507 tons of spent portable batteries
from our partners in the retail sector, municipalities,
and industry. That works out to a collection
rate of 44%, almost meeting the 45% collection
rate target stipulated by the Battery Act starting in
2016. And we aim to further boost these outstanding
results. To that end, we are constantly at work
on optimizing our processes even as we have kept
contributions to disposal costs stable for years.
Our partners are a crucial factor in achieving our
high collection rate, especially in light of the large
number of collection sites we have established.
Our green collection box is always conveniently
located for any consumer. All over Germany, we
have more than 170,000 collection points, 140,000
of them at retail locations alone.
We collected 103 more tons of batteries in 2010
than in the previous year. The average amount collected
per inhabitant rose to 177 grams. There are,
however, still major differences in battery collection
and recycling behavior in the individual federal
states.
Battery collection in 2010 in Germany
In 2010, 14,507 t spent batteries and accumulators were returned.
This equals an average of 177 g per head*.
* Numbers of inhabitants in accordance with Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt).
more than 196 g
166 g - 195 g
136 g - 165 g
100 g - 135 g
(Mass of batteries collected by origin: See Appendix, p. 13.)
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Fast processes for perfectly coordinated logistics:
Our collection partners
The very highest quality is our benchmark.
That’s why we constantly strive to improve service
for our collection sites. Our new portal,
www.grs-online.com, now makes it even easier
for customers to schedule a battery pick-up and
track order status online.
All of our operational disposal services are displayed
on the new platform and monitored by our
Volume of batteries collected, by origin
staff. As a result, we are able to take action to
alleviate potential complaints early on and guarantee
high customer satisfaction. In addition,
many spent batteries and end-of-life electrical
devices are found at municipalities and industry.
We are working together with our partners to
improve collection of these spent batteries and
ensure high-quality recycling of these materials.
The retail sector remains also 2010 the most popular collecting point for used batteries and accumulators.
23 % Municipalities
48 % Retail
Total: 14,507 t
29 %
Industry
In autumn of 2010, we introduced a new design
for our green collection containers, which are
found at locations operated by our partners in
the retail sector, municipalities and industry. Each
collection box still holds up to about 30 kilograms
of spent batteries and is labeled with all of
the information required by law. Our collection
drums, which are used primarily at recycling centers,
now also feature the new look.

Prerequisite for clean recycling:
Our collection rate
Together with our service providers, we employ high-tech
methods to identify more than 98% of all spent batteries collected
and sort them according to size and electrochemical system.
This is a key requirement to ensure the high quality in the
subsequent recycling process, during which valuable raw materials
can be recovered.
In the future, we will offer more flexibility for our service providers
for collection, sorting, and recycling. The call for tenders
issued by GRS Batterien allowed proposal concepts with
decentralized sorting sites. The transportation and logistics
synergies yielded by this approach have boosted cost effectiveness.
Primary batteries are still the largest group among spent portable
batteries, with alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries as the most
common types..
Composition of the batteries after mass of collected systems in 2010
82 %
Primary batteries
11,983 t
2,524 t
18 %
Secondary batteries
2 %
2 %
7 %
7 %
Li-Ion
NiMH
Pb
NiCd
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Proof of a successful system:
Our recycling results
Together with our system partners, we pursue a
clear aim: an ecologically and economically reasonable
battery recycling. To recover valuable materials
such as cobalt, nickel, zinc, and iron, we use
innovative recycling processes that meet the very
highest standards for quality and safety.
Proportion of batteries which could be recycled
The recycling rate acc. to § 15(1) no. 5 related to § 2 para. 20 BattG in the year 2010 was 6 %.
Not included are the stock transfers which have been recycled too.
1999
19 % recycling
*0.4 % of a li-primary system were disposed (no recovery option)
2010
This helps us recycle important raw materials and
conserve natural resources.
Our ongoing hard work and dedication, along with
our efforts to push R&D projects forward, are ultimately
also reflected in our recycling rate.
0.4 %* disposal
94.7 %
recycling
4.9 % stock transfers
Over the years, our numbers have risen steadily.
Nearly all batteries are recycled in order to recover
and reuse the materials in full in the production
cycle. Our recycling rate meets the requirements of
the Battery Act.
(Mass of batteries recycled, by system and type group: See Appendix, p. 13.)

Conserving raw materials for the future:
Our recycling
Under the new Battery Act it is prohibited to
place batteries on the market containing more
than 0.002 % cadmium by weight. The prohibition
does not include portable batteries for use
in emergency or alarm systems, including emergency
lighting, medical equipment, and cordless
electric tools. As a result of the ban, the
importance of NiCd batteries will decline in the
future. Cadmium is distilled from existing materials
and used to produce new NiCd batteries.
Both lithium primary batteries and rechargeable
systems are recycled in a metallurgical process.
This method enables recyclers to recover valuable
substances such as iron-nickel alloys and ferromanganese
from primary batteries, as well as
recovering cobalt, nickel, and copper from accumulators.
Due to an expected increase in volume
GRS increases its activities in order to improve
the collection and qualitatively high recycling of
lithium batteries.
For years, alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries are
the leading categories of spent batteries.
Typical composition of an alkalinemanganese
battery
In blast furnaces or steelworks many metals
from batteries can be recycled.
This way valuable raw materials can be saved.
10 % Water
6 % Electrolysis
10 %
19 %
17 %
38 %
Other
Ferromanganese
Zinc
Manganese dioxide
High recycling quality is guaranteed by the use of a
blast furnace, for example. In this method, a furnace
is used to recycle alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries
that do not contain mercury, yielding a raw iron
alloy containing manganese and zinc concentrate
as two of the main products. The same is also true
of recycling in electric arc furnaces. In this method,
the energy is added via an electric arc formed between
carbon electrodes.
Alongside recycling in electric arc furnaces or blast
furnaces, other methods are also used to recycle
these batteries: They are crushed in a controlled
process, after which the steel is separated from the
manganese oxide, which contains zinc. The steel is
sold, and the manganese oxide containing the zinc
is processed in a rotary kiln to recover zinc oxide.
For details on battery systems, how they work, and
how to dispose of them, please see our brochure
entitled “The World of Batteries” (Die Welt der
Batterien), which is available for downloading free
of charge from our website at
www.grs-batterien.de.
The site also offers a link to an explanatory video.
(Mass of batteries recycled: See Appendix, p. 14.)
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Our image as a strong partner:
Our communications
Due to the realignment of the market, we have
customized our corporate image to the new needs.
Our efforts to communicate with specific target
groups are now more individually tailored and
more specific. Our expanded range of services also
went live online in mid-April 2010 on our revised
website, www.grs-batterien.de. The new structure
lets manufacturers, importers, collection sites, service
providers, and consumers find information on
all of the major topics related to battery recycling
with just a single click.
Of course, the site also continues to offer
everything you ever wanted to know about batteries
and battery recycling. Our familiar green spent
battery collection boxes and drums also received a
new look. They are now even more noticeable at
collection sites at retail outlets, public facilities,
and industrial locations.
Together with our partners in municipalities , we
act as a capable point of contact for everything to
do with batteries, fulfilling our basic legal obligation
to communicate with consumers. This also
includes our cooperation with the consumer center
and with municipal associations, which has
been successfully in place for years.
We have published various trade-specific articles
in selected magazines and held presentations
and talks at trade events to keep our users abreast
of current developments at the foundation and
relevant industry news. In addition to these activities,
we have developed informational material
regarding our new business segment, industrial
batteries, and we have published our first battery
newsletter, which gives our contract partners
information about current events, background
information, and specific positions.

Taking responsibility for battery disposal:
Our foundation
GRS Batterien, the Joint Compliance Organization
for batteries, was founded in 1998 by leading
battery producers and the German Electrical
and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association
(ZVEI). Working on behalf of our customers,
we organize the collection, sorting, and disposal
of used batteries of all kinds. As a nonprofit
organization, we offer absolute transparency
with regard to costs and pass all price advantages
through to our customers directly. As a
result, we have been able to keep our prices
stable despite rising collection and recycling
volumes. Our experience and commitment to
outstanding service make us a strong, capable
partner when it comes to collecting spent batteries:
We are Europe’s largest collection system
for portable batteries
We partner with nearly 2,400 manufacturers
We have over 170,000 collection sites
We collect over 14,500 t of portable
batteries every year
We fulfill the statutory collection and
recycling rates
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Appendix (reporting pursuant to § 15 BattG)
Mass and item volume of batteries placed on the market / § 15 (1) No. 1 BattG
Primary batteries
Secondary batteries
Volume
2010
t %
ZnC 2,211 6.5
Round cells**
AIMn
Zn-air
21,848
27
64.3
0.1
Li, primary 213 0.6
AgO* 23 0.1
Button cells
AIMn*
Zn-air
374
107
1.1
0.3
Li, primary 186 0.5
Sum 24,989 73.5
AIMn 32 0.1
Li-Ion 5,065 14.9
Round cells** NiMH 2,270 6.7
Pb 629 1.9
NiCd 969 2.9
Li-Ion 16 < 0.1
Button cells NiMH 2 < 0.1
NiCd 10 < 0.1
Sum 8,993 26.5
Total 33,982 100.0
* Includes round cells composed of button cells
** Includes battery packs
Primary batteries
Secondary batteries
Quantity
2010
Thousand units %
ZnC 68,668 5.1
Round cells**
AIMn
Zn-air
840,052
567
62.8
< 0.1
Li, primary 12,369 0.9
AgO* 18,979 1.4
Button cells
AIMn*
Zn-air
92,042
89,644
6.9
6.7
Li, primary 62,479 4.7
Sum 1,184,800 88.5
AIMn 1,261 0.1
Li-Ion 56,848 4.2
Round cells** NiMH 79,843 6.0
Pb 929 0.1
NiCd 4,178 0.3
Li-Ion 7,851 0.6
Button cells NiMH 426 < 0.1
NiCd 2,349 0.2
Sum 153,685 11.5
Total 1,338,485 100.0

Mass of batteries collected, by origin, type group, and system
§ 15 (1) No. 2 and No. 4 BattG
The quantity collected, 14,507 t, equates to a collection rate of 44% under the calculation model used in the Battery Act (§ 2 [19] BattG).
Federal States 2009 2010 Difference
t t t %
Baden-Württemberg 1,969 2,038 69 3.5
Bayern 2,288 2,412 124 5.4
Berlin 456 457 1 0.2
Brandenburg 342 360 18 5.3
Bremen 109 119 10 9.2
Hamburg 282 281 -1 -0.4
Hessen 998 934 -64 -6.4
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 168 168 0 0.0
Niedersachsen 1,566 1,548 -18 -1.1
Nordrhein-Westfalen 3,364 3,388 24 0.7
Rheinland-Pfalz 852 819 -33 -3.9
Saarland 154 159 5 3.2
Sachsen 592 530 -62 -10.5
Sachsen-Anhalt 315 326 11 3.5
Schleswig-Holstein 604 624 20 3.3
Thüringen 345 344 -1 -0.3
Total 14,404 14,507 103 0.7
1 Composition based on results of sorting
² Insofar as sorting is not possible, these results include both primary and secondary batteries
Primary batteries
Secondary batteries
Types System Collection quantity (t) 1
Round cells
Button cells 2
Round cells
ZnC/Zn-air 2,640
AIMn 2 9,140
Li
AgO
116
AIMn
Zn-air
Li
87
Li-Ion 276
NiMH 334
NiCd 957
AIMn 2 –
Button cells2 NiCd
Li-Ion
NiMH
–
Small lead 957
Total 14,507
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Mass of batteries recycled / § 15 (1) No. 3 BattG
Qualitative and quantitative results of recycling and disposal
Battery system AlMn /ZnC
Zn-air
Battery
mixture
Li /Li-Ion Button cells NiMH NiCd Small lead Sum
t t t t t t t t
Products according to information from
recycling facilities 8,529 3,030 392 73 241 873 664 13,802
Zinc and zinc compounds 2,477 665 – 4 – – – 3,146
Ferromanganese 654 88 – 1 – – – 743
Steel alloys (containing iron / nickel) 1,989 636 42 42 140 541 – 3,390
Mercury and mercury compounds – – – 1 – – – 1
Lead and lead compounds – 138 – – – – 460 598
Cadmium and cadmium compounds – 19 – – – 109 – 128
Other metals (aluminum, cobalt, copper, etc.) 7 18 125 1 15 – – 166
Carbon 596 200 52 – – 7 – 855
Plastics for recycling 42 11 18 – – 66 74 211
Slag for recycling 1,370 337 94 – – 14 113 1,928
Other residue for recycling – 20 – 8 72 2 5 107
Spentwater / exhaust air 734 315 41 10 14 127 1 1,242
Plastics for disposal 188 178 14 < 1 – 7 – 387
Slag / other residue for disposal
Mass of spent batteries sent for recycling
472 405 6 5 – – 11 899
abroad 536 171 276 – – 402 – 1,385

Abbreviations, definitions, and sources
AgO: Silver oxide
AIMn: Alkaline-manganese
Cd: Cadmium
Battery mixture: batteries are collected as a mixture under the spent catalogue
number 200133*. They are then sorted and subdivided under the
numbers 160601* to 160605 respectively 191211* or 191212. The code for
the disposal method is D1 and the code for the recycling method is R4.
BattG: Act Concerning the Placing on the Market, Collection and Environmentally
Compatible Waste Management of Batteries and Accumulators.
Hg: Mercury
Li, primary: Lithium, non-rechargeable lithium system
Li-Ion/Li-Polymer: Lithium ion, lithium polymer, rechargeable lithium
system
NiCd: Nickel-cadmium
NiMH: Nickel-metal hydride
Pb: Lead
Primary batteries: non-rechargeable batteries
Secondary batteries: rechargeable batteries (accumulators)
Zn-air: Zinc-air
ZnC: Zinc-carbon
Sources:
Varta, Hannover / VALDI, Feurs (Frankreich) / Uni-Cyc GmbH, Bremerhaven
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