Page 225 - 7. State Of Environment Report Of Türkiye

placed on the market, has been introduced for the collection of waste batteries. With this app-
lication, collection rates starting from 15% for Group I batteries (batteries other than nickel cad-
mium and mercury oxide batteries) and ending with 40% at the end of the fifth year (for 2010),
and starting from 25% for Group II batteries (nickel cadmium and mercury oxide batteries) and
ending with 80% at the end of the fifth year (for 2010) have been determined for a 5-year pe-
riod, with rates varying according to years. Collection rates are applied in the following years at
the rates to be determined by the MoEUCC.
In order to ensure that waste accumulators are returned to the producer for recovery, producers
must apply a deposit on the sale of accumulators. In this respect, pursuant to Article 29 of the
By-law, quota and deposit rates have been determined with the provisions of “Waste accumu-
lators subject to deposit application must be collected, recovered and disposed of at a rate not
less than 70% in the first year, 80% in the second year and 90% in the third year following the
date of entry into force of this By-law and the relevant documents must be submitted to the
Ministry together with the deposit applications every year”.

In this context, in the determination and implementation of national strategies and policies for
the management of batteries and accumulators and their wastes, in accordance with the prin-
ciple of extended producer responsibility in Article 18 of the By-law on Waste Management and
the polluter pays principle in Article 8 of the Environmental Law No. 2872, within the scope of
extended producer responsibility, waste management is ensured by sharing responsibility for
battery and accumulator producers/authorised institutions, marketers and suppliers, sales po-
ints and other relevant stakeholders.

Taking into account the 2053 Net Zero and Green Transformation targets of Türkiye, joint studies
have been initiated by the MoEUCC together with the relevant public institutions and organi-
zations on the transposition of the EU By-law No. 2023/1542/EU, which introduces obligations
that will concern the entire life cycle of all types of batteries, including electric vehicle batteries,
from design to waste (Digital Passport, Obligation to Use Recovered Content, etc.) and provides
for the management of batteries/waste batteries, into our national legislation.

On the other hand, the materials contained in electric vehicle batteries may contain toxins har-
mful to the environment due to mercury, cadmium, lithium, nickel, other heavy metals, flam-
mable and explosive chemicals.

Proper management of electric vehicle batteries (determining conditions such as transport,
temporary storage, etc.) and recycling can prevent the release of these toxins into the environ-
ment and enable the reuse of resources. Total waste batteries and accumulators data consists
of the declarations made by waste generators to the MoEUCC Waste Declaration System (TABS)
and includes the waste generated at the waste generator’s facility in the declaration year and
sent to the waste treatment facility for recovery/disposal.

Table 78 Total amount of waste batteries and accumulators between 2019-2021 (tonnes) (MoEUCC, Waste Statistics
Bulletin, 2021)

2019 2020 2021
Total Waste Battery and Accumulator 32,230 32,601 33,872
Amount (tonnes)

224