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EU Batteries Regulation
Under the EU Batteries Regulation, part of the European Green Deal, all battery types are covered across their full life cycle, with both end users and producers playing a critical role in circularity and responsible end-of-life management through stronger sustainability, safety, and transparency requirements and improved collection, reuse, and recycling.
Information on prevention and management of waste batteries
Your role as an end user
- Extend the life of your battery: Using and maintaining your battery correctly helps it last longer and reduces the need to extract new raw materials like lithium and cobalt.
- Handle your battery safely: Never attempt to repair, open, or replace any high‑voltage components, cables, or connectors on EV or industrial batteries. Only an authorized Volvo workshop is qualified to work on high‑voltage systems.
- Recycle your battery responsibly: Always return end‑of‑life batteries through authorized collection or take‑back channels. This ensures safe recycling and allows valuable materials to be recovered and reused
Where to find guidance
Volvo Buses Driver Guide provides important information, including:
- How to maximize your battery lifespan
- Battery safety (including fire and electrical safety)
- Explanations of labels and symbols found on the battery
Returning your battery
As a Battery Producer under the EU Batteries Regulation, we ensure that end‑of‑life batteries are collected, treated, and recycled safely and in line with EU requirements.
With proper assessment and work carried out by authorized specialists, some batteries may be suitable for repair, reuse, or repurposing before ultimately being recycled.
End users should always return batteries to an authorized Volvo dealer or workshop, or designated collection point. These locations ensure safe handling and correct onward treatment.
Find your nearest Volvo workshop via our Dealer locator. To ensure the workshop is certified to receive EV or Industrial batteries for repair or recycling, use the filter in Dealer locator. The Volvo dealer or workshop will take back your batteries free-of-charge.
Incorrect handling or disposal of batteries could result in environmental damage, soil and/or water contamination as well as risks to human health.
FAQ about EU Batteries Regulation
The EU Batteries Regulation is part of the European Union’s Green Deal and sets a new, comprehensive framework for how batteries are designed, used, and managed across their entire life cycle. Replacing the earlier Batteries Directive, the regulation applies to all battery types – including electric vehicle, industrial, and portable batteries.
Its goal is to reduce environmental impact, protect human health and support a more circular economy. The regulation strengthens requirements on sustainability, safety, and transparency, and ensures that battery producers take responsibility for batteries at the end of their life through improved collection, reuse and recycling.
Learn more on the European Commission website:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj/eng
- Portable batteries: Small, sealed batteries under 5 kg. They are not made for industrial use and are commonly found in consumer electronics and household devices
- LMT (Light Means of Transport) batteries: Sealed batteries up to 25 kg designed to power electric, wheeled transport such as e‑bikes and e‑scooters.
- SLI batteries: Batteries used for Starting, Lighting, and Ignition in vehicles and machinery — for example, traditional 12V car batteries.
- EV batteries: Batteries over 25 kg developed to power hybrid and fully electric vehicles, such as electric cars, vans, buses, and trucks.
- Industrial batteries: Batteries built for professional or industrial applications that do not fall into the EV, LMT, or SLI categories. Examples include large energy‑storage systems.
Batteries contain valuable materials, but they can also pose fire, electrical, and chemical hazards if not handled correctly.
Recycling ensures:
- Safer handling and reduced risk to people and the environment
- Recovery of critical raw materials and reduced need for extracting new resources
- Support for EU sustainability goals and the Volvo Group’s environmental commitments
Volvo Group works with a network of approved partners, including service partners, logistics providers and certified recycling and treatment operators. In many EU countries, this also includes cooperation with Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) to fulfil local Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements.
Read more at Volvo Group's website
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