Mexico - Bill Calls for Limited Battery Ban

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July 20, 2008
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Mexico - Batteries
2 o( Q: w. i, y3 k! H7 a9 xA new Mexican bill calls for a ban on import, manufacture, sale or distribution of mercury, nickel-cadmium, silver oxide and zinc batteries (the "Bill"). This new Bill follows on the earlier call for agency action by the Bill's author, urging the environmental agency (SEMARNAT) to issue a battery disposal standard. (See Link below.) As reported, SEMARNAT has been working on such a rule (an official Mexican standard or “NOM”) for some time but has not published a final version. (See Link below.)
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" M5 y  v! C$ Q, JThe Details
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2 k  c+ T& {& x1 t2 N% u9 nThe brief Bill would revise the existing Waste Law (Ley General para la Prevención y Gestión Integral de los Residuos) to grant the federal government (i.e., SEMARNAT) the authority to prohibit the import, manufacture, sale and distribution of batteries that contain mercury, nickel-cadmium, silver oxide and zinc, and those that have the potential to become hazardous waste upon disposal.  (Bill, Art. 1)  The Bill would exempt batteries used for national security, public safety and health if there were no cleaner alternative technologies available and it could be demonstrated that the batteries would be used for those limited exempt purposes.  (Art. 1)  Given its brevity, implementing standards would be necessary to flesh out its requirements.  

Notably, the Justification section of the Bill reiterates the Congressman’s earlier call for SEMARNAT to allow hazardous battery imports only if: (a) no cleaner substitute product were available and (b) the importer/merchant could guarantee proper disposal through a registered Management Plan.  (See Bill, Justification Section, and Link below for background.)  However, the wording of the Bill itself (i.e., Art. 1 above) does not mirror these exemptions or even mention importers’ extended responsibility.  

Next Steps

Even though SEMARNAT has been working on an emergency battery NOM for some time, it is not clear when it will be published.  (See Link below for background.)  Given the delay, this new Bill, sent to the Environment Commission in the Chamber of Deputies, may serve as further incentive for the agency to take action.  We will continue to cover the evolving regulation of batteries in Mexico.