ReturBat transfers its activities to Batteriretur
ReturBat has managed the collection and handling of lead-acid batteries from car batteries, forklifts, trucks, buses, emergency power systems and industrial facilities for more than 30 years. From 1 January 2026, the PRO will transfer all its activities to Batteriretur.
“We have focused for many years on ensuring that lead-acid batteries are handled responsibly and in an environmentally sound way. We want to ensure continuity, quality and a shared direction in an industry undergoing change. It has therefore been important to us that our activities are carried forward by an organisation that shares our values and high standards. Batteriretur is a professional and well-run organisation, and we are confident that our members and partners will be in good hands with them going forward,” says Pia Bæk Thomsen, Chair of ReturBat.
There is also strong satisfaction with the decision at Batteriretur.
“ReturBat has delivered solid work for many years, and we are pleased that Batteriretur can now build on that experience in a strong and unified setup. It creates a simpler structure for battery Extended Producer Responsibility and an even more efficient system, benefiting both recycling and the development of new solutions,” says Morten Harboe-Jepsen, CEO of Retur, of which Batteriretur is part.
The transition from ReturBat to Batteriretur comes at a time when the EU’s new battery regulation is changing the rules: more battery types are now covered by Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and far more companies will have battery EPR obligations going forward.
This applies both to companies that manufacture or import portable batteries and to producers of products with embedded batteries – such as e-bikes, tools, computers, toys and household appliances.
Battery EPR now covers all five battery categories: portable batteries, batteries for light means of transport such as e-bikes and scooters, electric vehicle batteries, lead-acid batteries such as starter batteries for cars and machinery, and industrial batteries for business use and energy storage.
Batteriretur already handles these battery types – including industrial and starter batteries – as well as up to 90% of the portable batteries handed in at Danish recycling centres. With the transfer of activities from ReturBat, the quantities of industrial batteries and starter batteries are expected to increase fivefold.
“It is a natural time to join forces. Now that more types of batteries and products are covered by Extended Producer Responsibility, we need an organisation with both experience and scale. That is what we now have. At the same time, it strengthens Retur as a whole. As Denmark’s largest family of Producer Responsibility Organisations, Retur works across EPR areas to create more efficient and coherent solutions for thousands of companies,” says Morten Harboe-Jepsen.
Since August 2025, Extended Producer Responsibility has applied to all battery types:
Small batteries under 5 kg, used for example in tools, cameras, toys and power banks.
Batteries up to 25 kg, used for example in e-bikes, e-scooters and scooters.
Batteries for cars, motorcycles and machinery.
Batteries over 5 kg, used in business, energy storage and larger machinery.
Batteries for electric and hybrid cars as well as other electric vehicles.
The purpose of battery EPR is to increase recycling and ensure the responsible handling of batteries across the entire value chain.
ReturBat was established in 1993 by Danish importers and producers of lead-acid batteries with the aim of ensuring nationwide collection and environmentally sound handling of end-of-life lead-acid batteries. The scheme has since developed into a Producer Responsibility Organisation under Executive Order no. 1186 and covers both car and industrial batteries as well as related chargers and electrical equipment.
For more than 30 years, ReturBat has contributed to a high recycling rate for lead-acid batteries and handles around 17,000 tonnes of batteries each year, which are sent to approved smelting plants.
Batteriretur is a Producer Responsibility Organisation that helps companies comply with their Extended Producer Responsibility obligations for batteries. The organisation was established in 2023 and grew out of its sister organisation, Elretur, which has managed EPR for electronics and batteries since 2005.
Batteriretur is part of Retur, Denmark’s largest family of Producer Responsibility Organisations. Retur covers electronics, packaging, batteries, fishing gear and textiles through five organisations and helps thousands of companies manage their EPR obligations and ensure that as much of their waste as possible is reused and/or recycled.
Camilla Falkenberg, Press and Communications Manager at Retur.
Mobile: +45 43140894
Email: cf@retur.dk