FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
, .. ,, ,,-. . .. . 
SENATE 
.c 
S.NO. 
L! 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
As the Philippine battery industry continues to grow, risk of disposing rechargeable batteries in 
the solid waste stream also becomes more threatening. Disposing rechargeable batteries which 
commonly contain health-hazardous heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury are of 
particular concern since these are considered as toxic waste materials. Such product, if carelessly 
disposed, could expose the environment and water to lead and acid, pollute the lakes and streams 
and may cause burns or danger to eyes and skin. 
The use of rechargeable batteries can reduce the number of batteries and at the same time 
increase the amount of heavy metals entering the waste stream. To reduce toxic waste in the 
environment, the most effective and appropriate method to promote the reduction of toxic metals 
from rechargeable battery disposal is to require the battery industry to accept financial 
responsibility for the environmentally sound collection, transportation and recycling or proper 
disposal of discarded rechargeable batteries. 
It is in the public interest of the Filipino people to maximize the removal of used rechargeable 
batteries from the solid waste stream by banning its disposal of used rechargeable batteries from 
the solid waste stream and requiring manufacturers to take back and recycle the used 
rechargeable batteries that are sold or disposed of in any part of the country. 
Approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
AN$O~IO “SONNY” F. TRILLANES IV 
Senator 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
S. NO. 
I 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
TO STRENGTHEN THE RECYCLING PROGRAM FOR ALL RECHARGEABLE 
BATTERIES MANUFACTURED, SOLD AND DISTRlBUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Rechargeable Battery Law” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of policy. It is hereby declared to be the public policy of the 
Philippines to reduce environmental pollution, to reduce the toxicity of waste materials in the 
solid waste stream directed to resource recovery and sanitary landfill facilities, and to maximize 
the removal of used rechargeable batteries and products that contain rechargeable batteries and 
encourage their recycling by manufacturers by banning the disposal of used rechargeable 
batteries from the solid waste stream and requiring manufacturers to take back and recycle the 
used rechargeable batteries sold or disposed of in the Philippines. 
SEC. 3. Definitions. For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
a. Battery manufacturer - every person, firm or corporation that: (i) produces 
rechargeable batteries sold or distributed in the Philippines, or packages such batteries for sale in 
the Philippines, except that if such production or packaging is for a distributor having the right to 
produce or otherwise package that same brand of battery in the Philippines, then such distributor 


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shall be deemed to be the batt4ry manufacturer; or (ii) imports rechargeable batteries that are 
sold or distributed in the Philippknes. 
b. Consumer - any persob who purchases one or more rechargeable batteries, or products 
containing such batteries at the tlme of sale. 
c. Place of business - the1 location, at which a retailer sells or offers for sale to consumers, 
rechargeable batteries, or produdts containing such batteries at the time of sale. 
d. Rechargeable battery - any rechargeable nickel-cadmium, sealed lead, lithium ion, 
nickel metal hydride battery, d r any other such dry cell battery capable of being recharged 
weighing less than twenty-five bounds, or battery packs containing such batteries, but shall not 
include a battery used as the prihcipal electric power source for a vehicle, such as, but not limited 
to, an automobile, boat, truck, $ctor, golf cart or wheelchair, for storage of electricity generated 
by an alternative power source, such as solar or wind-driven generators, or for memory backup 
in an electronic device. 
e. Retailer - a person: firm or corporation that engages in the sale of rechargeable 
batteries, or products containink such batteries, to a consumer in the Philippines including, but 
not limited to, transactions con ucted through sales outlets, catalogs, by mail, telephone or the 
internet. For purposes of this sejtion retailer shall not include a food store. 
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SEC. 4. Rechargeable battery disposal ban. No person shall knowingly dispose of 
rechargeable batteries as solid 4aste at any time anywhere in the Philippines. 
SEC. 5. Rechargeable dattery recycling program 
1. Consumers shall ret* 
rechargeable batteries to a retailer that sells such batteries that 
are similar in shape, size and function to those to be disposed of. Rechargeable batteries 
contained in electronic product4 must be removed prior to disposal of such product. 
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2. Retailers shall be responsible for the following: 
a. Retailers having a place of business in any place in the Philippines shall accept from 
consumers at any time during normal business hours rechargeable batteries of a similar size and 
shape as the retailer offers for sale. Retailers shall take up to ten such batteries per day from any 
person regardless of whether such person purchases replacement batteries, and retailers shall also 
accept as many such batteries as a consumer purchases from the retailer. Retailers shall 
conspicuously post and maintain, at or near the point of entry to the place of business, a legible 
sign, not less than 8 54 inches by 11 inches in size, stating that used rechargeable batteries of the 
size and shape sold or offered for sale by the retailer may not enter the solid waste stream, and 
that the retail establishment is a collection site for recycling such batteries. Such sign shall state 
the following in letters at least one-inch in height: 
“It is illegal to dispose of rechargeable batteries in the Philippines as solid waste. We 
accept used rechargeable batteries for return to the manufacturer.” 
b. Retailers that sell rechargeable batteries to consumers in the Philippines through non- 
retail outlets such as through catalogs, or by mail, telephone or the internet shall provide at the 
time of purchase or delivery to the consumer notice of an opportunity to return used rechargeable 
batteries at no cost to the consumer for reuse or recycling. 
c. Retailers in the Philippines shall conspicuously maintain, at a location within the retail 
establishment convenient for use by consumers, collection boxes or other suitable receptacles, 
supplied by the manufacturer, into which consumers may deposit used rechargeable batteries. 
3. Every battery manufacturer, or any combination of battery manufacturers working 
together, shall: 
a. At the battery manufacturer’s own expense, arrange for the return of, and recycle all 
used rechargeable batteries collected by retailers. 
b. Within six months of the passage of this law, submit a plan to the head commissioner 
of National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC), or any other person responsible 
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for the Philippines’ recycling programs, that identifies the methods by which battery 
manufacturers will collect, transport, and recycle rechargeable batteries collected by retailers at 
the expense of the battery manufacturer. 
c. Submit annual reports concerning the amount of rechargeable batteries received and 
recycled within the Philippines, either by number or by weight; the costs of such efforts; and any 
other relevant information to the head commissioner of NSWMC or any other person responsible 
for the Philippines’ recycling programs. 
d. Undertake efforts to educate the citizens of the Philippines regarding the appropriate 
ways to recycle rechargeable batteries. 
4. The head commissioner of NSWMC, or any other person responsible for the 
Philippines recycling programs, shall approve or reject any battery manufacturer’s collection, 
transportation, and recycling plans described in section (5)(3)(b) within thirty days of submission 
and, if rejected, inform the battery manufacturer in writing as to any deficiencies in the plan. 
Battery manufacturers shall amend and resubmit any rejected plans for reconsideration within 
sixty days of notification of the rejection of said plan. The head commissioner of NSWMC or 
any other person responsible for the Philippines’ recycling programs shall approve or reject said 
plan within thirty days of resubmission. 
5. The head commissioner of NSWMC, or any other person responsible for the 
Philippines’ recycling programs, shall analyze the information provided by battery 
manufacturers pursuant to Section (5)(2)(c) and publish its report in at least two (2) general 
newspapers of national circulation every two years. 
6. The commissioner of NSWMC, or any other person responsible for the Philippines’ 
recycling programs, shall promulgate any rules needed to implement this law. 
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SEC. 6. Penalties. 
1. Any person who violates section 4 of this law shall be liable for a civil penalty 
recoverable in a proceeding before the NSWMC in the amount of two thousand pesos (Php 
2,000) for the first violation, four thousand pesos (Php 4,000) for a second violation committed 
within twelve months of a prior violation and eight thousand pesos (Php 8,000) for a third or 
subsequent violation committed within twelve months of any prior violation. 
2. Any retailer who violates section 5 of this law shall be liable for a civil penalty in a 
proceeding before the environmental control board in the amount of eight thousand pesos (Php 
8,000) for the first violation, sixteen thousand pesos (Php 16,000) for a second violation 
committed within twelve months of a prior violation, and twenty thousand pesos (Php 20,000) 
for a third or subsequent violation committed within twelve months of any prior violation. 
3. Any battery manufacturer who violates section 5 of this law shall be liable for a civil 
penalty recoverable in a proceeding before the NSWMC in the amount of eighty thousand pesos 
(Php 80,000) for the first violation, one hundred sixty thousand pesos (Php 160,000) for a second 
violation committed within twelve months of a prior violation, and two hundred thousand pesos 
(Php 200,000) for a third or subsequent violation committed within twelve months of any prior 
violation. 
SEC. 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
Act shall be provided out of the savings from the appropriations of the NSWMC for the current 
year. Thereafter, the sum necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be appropriated in 
the annual appropriations of the NSWMC. 
SEC. 8. Repealing Cluuse. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
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SEC. 9. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon its 
publication in at least two (2) general newspapers of national circulation. 
Approved, 
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