Development Of Sustainability Indicators For The Assessment Of Alternative Management Systems Of Spent, Portable Batteries

The sustainable management of solid wastes, including the wastes emanating from portable batteries, consists one of the main objectives of the current EU Environment Framework Programme. Overall reduction in the quantity and volume of disposed wastes, elimination of dangerous species within the waste streams and wastes recycling comprise specific targets of this policy. Within this framework a Greek funded research project entitled ?Development of an Integrated Alternative System for the Environmentally compatible Management of Used Batteries and Accumulators - DIASBAT?, was recently completed by a research team consisting of major Greek Battery producers and retailers, Research Organisations, Universities and Environmental Consultants. The aim of the project was the development of an Efficient Alternative Management System for spent portable Batteries and Accumulators, (B&A), in compliance with the prevailing EU and national environmental legislation, taking advantage of the state-of the art technology. The present article summarises the research carried out within the DIASBAT project in order to review and develop a set of sustainability indicators for the assessment of the effectiveness of Spent Portable Batteries Management Systems (SPBMS). Based on the European experience and practice, various indicators were initially examined regarding the performance evaluation of SPBMS. Specifically, the indicators used in European studies conducted to assess the environmental, social and economic impacts of the recently issued Batteries Directive 2006/66/EC, as well as the indicators used by European Collection and Recycling Organisations (CROs) to assess the performance of SBPMS across Europe were presented and analyzed. Additionally, the set of indicators used within DIASBAT to assess the effectiveness of alternative Spent Portable Batteries Collection Schemes developed within the project, are presented. The experimental collection networks of the DIASBAT project included schools, selected retail stores and a pilot network set up by the Greek Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration (IGME). From the evaluation of the various indicators, it was deduced that in order to assess an Integrated Spent Portable Batteries Alternative Management System, a multi criteria analysis approach is required. Within the general principles of sustainable development, there is a need for different qualitative and quantitative indicators to be combined, taking into consideration critical parameters such as: annual portable batteries collection rates, compliance with the targets set up by the prevailing European and national legislation, economic performance of the System - and finally social criteria - environmental sensitization according to age, gender, economic prosperity, educational level etc.