Stores unprepared for new EU regulations
By Rob Edwards, Environment Editor

Scotland's big-name retailers are in the dark about new laws requiring them to help customers recycle batteries.

A survey by the Sunday Herald has uncovered confusion, ignorance and misinformation in the advice given by leading high street shops to customers inquiring about battery recycling.

All but one of 14 major retail chains with more than 500 stores across Scotland said that they didn't currently offer any facilities for battery recycling. And the only one that did - PC World - stressed that it wasn't promoting its scheme in case it was overwhelmed.

Retailers have been accused of "burying their heads in the sand" by environmentalists, and criticised by battery manufacturers. In response, most of them said they were making efforts to begin battery recycling.

About 41 million batteries are used in Scotland every year, with the vast majority being dumped in landfill sites. Many contain toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury and nickel which can contaminate soil and water, threatening wildlife and human health.

But new regulations were introduced throughout the UK last week, bringing into force a three-year-old European directive. It legally obliges major retailers to offer in-store battery recycling facilities by February next year, with the aim of recycling at least 45% of all household batteries by 2016.

In our survey, retailers were asked by customers last month where and how they could recycle used batteries in Scottish stores. Four - Asda, B&Q, Comet and Jenners in Edinburgh - responded by saying that it was not possible.

A further seven - Argos/Homebase, Boots, the Co-op, Currys, John Lewis, Morrisons and Sainsburys - said they had no battery recycling facilities at the moment, but planned to introduce them at some point in the future.

Customer service staff from four retailers - Argos/Homebase, B&Q, Comet and Currys - failed to realise that battery recycling has in fact been trialled at a few of their outlets in Perth since March 2007.

Two retailers failed to respond at all: Tesco and WHSmith. Only PC World, which is owned, along with Currys, by DSG International, told a customer that batteries could currently be recycled in all its stores.

But when contacted by the Sunday Herald last week, a DSGI spokeswoman said they were not advertising the service. "We are not yet fully geared up to the potential volumes that we may get if we promote this as a customer service," she said.

The environmental group WWF Scotland attacked stores for not being prepared to help reduce Scotland's toxic battery mountain.

The group's head of policy, Dr Dan Barlow, said: "Some retailers are either burying their heads in the sand or, if they are taking steps, have failed to communicate their plans to their own employees. It really does not bode well for when the rules come into legal force in less than 10 months' time."

The British Battery Manufacturers Association has claimed that the government's recycling scheme presents a "nightmare scenario".

According to the association's Sam Graham, it is "unnecessarily complex".

But he added: "We'd be surprised if major retailers were unaware of the requirement to collect used portable batteries. This is one of the clearest provisions of the directive that was adopted over two-and-a-half years ago."

When quizzed by the Sunday Herald last week, Argos/Homebase, B&Q, Boots, Comet, the Co-op, Currys, Sainsbury's, John Lewis, PC World and WHSmith all said that they would introduce battery recycling before next February. Asda, Jenners, Morrisons and Tesco did not respond to queries.

Comet said the exact roll-out was "to be decided shortly", while the Co-op argued that it could only make initial preparations as the "legislative backdrop" had only just been agreed.

John Lewis said it had a battery recycling trial in a Waitrose branch.

B&Q and Argos/Homebase pointed out that their stores in the Republic of Ireland already offered the service.

A spokesman for Argos/Homebase added: "We are sorry that our store colleagues were unable to provide current information regarding battery recycling to the customer."

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency encouraged retailers to play their part in boosting battery recycling. "Sepa is happy to provide advice and assistance," said a spokeswoman.