PRBA has seen an increased interest in portable battery extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation since Illinois and Vermont enacted legislation earlier this year. PRBA continues to hear from multiple stakeholders throughout the U.S. and anticipates as many as 12 states could introduce portable battery EPR legislation in 2025 as fires attributed to lithium batteries and…
Read More
Tag: Battery Regulations & Standards
PFAS in Batteries: PRBA Meets with Minnesota PCA on PFAS in Batteries
PRBA met with officials from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (PCA) on November 22, 2024 to discuss the extensive comments that PRBA filed with the Agency on March 1, 2024 requesting a Currently Unavoidable Use (CUU) determination for batteries from state PFAS restrictions, and to explain how the January 1, 2025 prohibition on PFAS contained…
Read More
PRBA Fire Code Committee Meets to Consider Proposed Changes to 2024 International Fire and Building Codes
PRBA’s Fire Code Committee recently met to review the proposed changes to the battery and micro-mobility provisions in the 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) and International Building Code (IBC) that will be considered by the International Code Council during their meeting in Long Beach, CA on October 23 – 31, 2024. The substantial changes address…
Read More
U.S. Customs & Border Protection Publishes Notice on Classifying Lithium Ion Cells
The U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) published a Notice that would revoke the Agency’s previous rulings on lithium ion cells in favor of classifying cells in the U.S. harmonized tariff schedule (HTS) applicable to batteries. Until 2018, the CBP’s tariff classification position on cells and batteries was of little practical importance because there was…
Read More
New York State Passes Legislation on the E-Bike Safety, Looks to 2025 for Portable Battery EPR Legislation
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law new requirements on the safe use of e-bikes and lithium ion batteries. The legislation requires lithium ion batteries to meet manufacturing and safety standards, includes numerous provisions for resources for state agencies, first responders, and consumers, and requires a red tag on micro-mobility device…
Read More
PRBA Attends United Nations Dangerous Goods Transport Sub-Committee Meeting in Switzerland; Sub-Committee Approves PRBA’s Proposals
The UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods met in Geneva, Switzerland in June and July to address amendments to the international dangerous goods regulations governing the transport of lithium and sodium ion batteries and other dangerous goods. PRBA filed four Working Documents with the Sub-Committee that address the following issues: Amendments…
Read More
Portable Battery EPR Legislation Passes in Illinois and Vermont
During a very active year for state-level portable battery extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation in the U.S., the states of Illinois and Vermont were both successful in passing legislation. PRBA participated in the legislative process and testified multiple times on both bills. In Illinois, the law covers portable and medium format primary and rechargeable batteries…
Read More
PRBA Meets with Legislators and NGOs in Six States on EPR and Lithium ion Battery Safety Legislation; PRBA Legislative Committee Meets to Discuss Implications of Legislation
PRBA has been working with legislators and NGOs in Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, California, and Washington on extended producer responsibility (EPR) battery legislation, and lithium ion battery safety legislation that focuses on powered bicycles and powered mobility devices. This wave of legislative activity on EPR battery legislation was expected in light of California…
Read More
PRBA Files Comments on EPA Proposed Rule to Ban TCE, Issues Report to PRBA Members
On December 15, 2023 PRBA filed comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed risk management rule for trichloroethylene (TCE) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to ban the manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce of TCE for all uses. A report on the TCE proposed rule was distributed to PRBA members…
Read More
PRBA Meets with U.S. Customs Officials on Lithium ion Cell and Battery Classification
PRBA met on December 14, 2023 with officials from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to discuss amendments to the U.S. harmonized tariff schedule (HTS) and how lithium ion cells and batteries are currently classified under the international harmonized system (HS). The HS is administrated by the World Customs Organization and used by customs…
Read More