Bill Summary: Extended Producer Responsibility Program for Consumer Batteries

• Establishes an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program requiring battery producers to fund collection and recycling of portable batteries (effective January 1, 2026) and medium format batteries (effective January 1, 2028).

• Producers must participate in approved battery stewardship organizations and submit stewardship plans to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection by July 1, 2025 for portable batteries and July 1, 2027 for medium format batteries.

• Battery stewardship organizations must establish free, convenient collection sites statewide, achieve minimum recycling efficiency rates of 60% for rechargeable batteries and 70% for primary batteries, and provide education and outreach to consumers.

• Retailers may only sell covered batteries and battery-containing products from producers participating in approved stewardship plans as of July 1, 2026 for portable batteries and July 1, 2028 for medium format batteries.

• Violators face civil penalties of $7,000 per violation (or double the applicable fee for non-payment), and battery stewardship organizations can sue non-compliant producers for costs exceeding $1,000.