The European Union (EU) wants to push a law that will make batteries on phones and laptops user-replaceable.
This is after the EU passed a law to make USB-C a standard for charging on mobile devices like smartphones, cameras, tablets, laptops, headphones, and more.
The proposed regulation wants to make mobile batteries more reusable and sustainable. It will cover the battery’s entire life cycle: from the generation of the materials to its disposal.
This means that hot-swappable batteries — which used to be the standard where users could easily replace their phones — might make a comeback.
If passed, all the devices that will be sold in the EU will have batteries that are much easier to replace and remove.
They also want users to have better information on the batteries they buy by putting QR codes that show their capacity, durability, chemical composition, and performance, and a “separate collection” logo.
Moreover, the proposed law will require manufacturers to create and implement a “due diligence policy” to help solve the environmental and social risks involving the sourcing, processing, and trading of raw materials and secondary raw materials for batteries.
It will also drop the minimum levels of recycled materials required for creating new batteries to 85% lead, 16% cobalt, 6% lithium, and 6% nickel.
The new law will apply to portable batteries, SLI batteries used for vehicles, light means of transport (LMT) batteries, batteries used for electric vehicles (EVs), and industrial batteries.
To give manufacturers time to adjust, they will have three and a half years after the law is passed to design portable batteries in appliances that will allow consumers to “easily remove and replace them themselves.”
Via: XDA Developers