Washington House Committee Moves Rechargeable Battery Stewardship Law

As this edition of this Report goes to press on February 1, 2012, the Committee on Environment of the Washington House of Representatives is scheduled to report out HB 2450, the “Washington Small Rechargeable Battery Stewardship Act.” The same bill has been introduced in the state's Senate
as SB 6148.

In its reported form, the bill is strongly supported by PRBA-The Rechargeable Battery Association. It would require suppliers of consumer rechargeable batteries in Washington—whether in products or as replacement units—to support a stewardship program registered by the state. The criteria for registration would allow approval of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Company's Call2Recycle® program with minimal changes.