page_title: Battery recycling
section_title: European Union
hierarchical_section_title: Battery recycling / Battery recycling by location / European Union
caption_attribution_description: English: Battery recycling on a bus stop in Madrid, Spain
context_page_description: Battery recycling is a recycling activity that aims to reduce the number of batteries being disposed as municipal solid waste. Batteries contain a number of heavy metals and toxic chemicals and disposing of them by the same process as regular household waste has raised concerns over soil contamination and water pollution.
context_section_description: In 2006, the EU passed the Battery Directive, one of the aims of which is a higher rate of battery recycling. The EU directive states that at least 25% of all the EU's used batteries must be collected by 2012, and rising to no less than 45% by 2016, of which at least 50% must be recycled.
caption: A battery recycling station at a bus stop in Madrid.
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