Scope
Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 concerns batteries and waste batteries. Annex I restricts mercury in batteries, cadmium in portable batteries, and lead in portable batteries, including batteries incorporated into specified products.
Exact limit and units
| Metal | Product scope | Limit | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Batteries, whether or not incorporated into appliances, light means of transport or other vehicles | 0.0005 | percent mercury expressed as mercury metal by weight | battery by weight |
| Cadmium | Portable batteries, whether or not incorporated into appliances, light means of transport or other vehicles | 0.002 | percent cadmium expressed as cadmium metal by weight | portable battery by weight |
| Lead | Portable batteries, whether or not incorporated into appliances | 0.01 | percent lead expressed as lead metal by weight | portable battery by weight |
The lead restriction applies from 18 August 2024. Portable zinc-air button cells are exempt from that lead restriction until 18 August 2028.
How tested
Annex I states each restriction as a percent by weight of the named metal, expressed as mercury metal, cadmium metal, or lead metal. The text excerpt does not provide a standalone analytical-method table for these substance restrictions.
Enforcement posture
These are statutory EU product restrictions under the Batteries Regulation. Batteries in the listed scopes must not exceed the Annex I heavy-metal concentration conditions.
History of changes
Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 was adopted on 12 July 2023 and repealed Directive 2006/66/EC. The heavy-metal restrictions are placed in Annex I of the 2023 regulation, with the portable-battery lead restriction taking effect on 18 August 2024.
How it compares
The regulation is a battery-content instrument, not a food, cosmetics, or packaging-migration instrument. Mercury has the lowest percent-by-weight threshold, cadmium is limited in portable batteries, and lead has a later application date plus a temporary zinc-air button-cell exception.
Sources
Update history
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