Are you compliant with the battery regulations?

The Environmental Prorection Agency (EPA) is advising all garages that sell automotive batteries, that they are responsible for the proper disposal of the old battery.

Under the scope of the regulations, a tyre retailer that sells automotive batteries is classed as a “distributor” which means the retailer must comply with the battery regulations.

Batteries taken in by the tyre retailer should only be passed to a person authorised to collect and manage this type of waste.

Tyre retailers have been reminded that it is an offence under Section 32 of the Waste Management Act 1996 to transfer waste to any other person unless they are appropriately authorised. If you are in any doubt as to whether your battery collector is authorised or not, ask to see a copy of their waste collection permit, which should list batteries as one of the wastes they collect.

Further information may be found at www.batteries-enforcement.ie  E-mail batteries@epa.ie or Lo call 1890 33 55 99.

In a separate development the EPA is advising all workshops that the burning of waste oil is classified as a hazardous waste incineration activity and requires a licence from the EPA before it can be carried out.

It is an offence to burn waste oil without a licence from the EPA.

The EPA, says it is active in enforcing this requirement and conducts unannounced enforcement visits to garages, workshops and other generators of waste oils.

The unauthorised burning of waste oils in burners/ energy units has the potential to cause harm to the environment and human health, the EPA says.