FPI calls on govt to enforce ban on export of used car batteries

THE Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) is calling on the government to enforce a ban on export of used car batteries.

According to FPI, these lead scraps are usually obtained from used lead-acid batteries (ULAB) pursuant to local regulations as well as the country’s commitment to the Basel Convention, a multilateral environmental agreement.

FPI Chairman Jesus L. Arranza said at a briefing on Wednesday that data from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that a “sizeable” amount of lead scraps that are considered hazardous waste have been exiting the country yearly.

This, despite a prohibition of such export under Republic Act No. 6969 or the “Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990” and its implementing rules outlined in Department Administrative Order (DAO) 2013-22 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), FPI said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

“As a matter of policy, export of hazardous wastes like lead scrap and ULAB is not allowed when the country of origin has the capability to recycle them. In the case of lead scrap and ULAB, we have Evergreen Environmental Resources Inc. [EERI)] which operates state-of-theart recycling facilities for ULABS in Bulacan,” Arranza said.

This, Arranza said, is why they found it “alarming” that the PSA has actual data on lead scrap exports, which he said indicates that such shipments actually went through official channels.

The FPI chairman said his team inquired with the DENR on the matter and was informed that the agency has not issued export clearance to any company for lead scrap. Moreover, he said the DENR stressed, “There is no way the agency would approve any application for lead scrap export clearance.”

“If there is no clearance from the DENR, how did these shipments manage to slip through the Bureau of Customs [BOC], and even got reflected in the PSA export data? Also, how come there is no record from the DENR and Department of Trade and Industry [DTI] of who these exporters are?” Arranza said.

FPI said data from PSA showed that around 8,500 tons of lead waste and scrap were exported by the Philippines from January to August 2022.

Arranza also mentioned there is no record if these exported lead scraps are in the form of ULABS or were merely separated from used auto batteries.

Since scrap lead is “mostly” obtained from ULABS, Arranza said this means that these illegal exporters managed to get their hands on a “big volume” of old batteries. Using the PSA data as a basis, he said these illegal exporters are probably collecting around 500,000 pieces of ULAB at an average weight of 15 kilos per unit.

This, Arranza said, has “dire” economic and environmental implications.

“We don’t know how these exporters are handling and dismantling their ULABS, which are hazardous wastes. What have they done to the plastic components and the acid, did they just throw them into the trash or bodies of water?” Arranza asked.

Also, local recyclers like EERI and their customers are being deprived of materials to make their operations more viable, FPI pointed out.

With this, Arranza said this illegal practice should be “jointly” looked into by the DENR, DTI, BOC, and other concerned agencies.

The FPI and its members, he said, are ready to contribute their resources and inputs to the investigation.

During the same briefing, Motolite, a major battery brand in the country, announced it has partnered with the FPI to help ensure used lead acid batteries are being disposed of and recycled properly.

In the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by the car battery maker and FPI on Wednesday, April 19, the parties committed to work together in the promotion and implementation of the “Balik Baterya Program” in order to further clean up the environment of “pollution-causing” ULABS, while also raising funds for FPI’S projects and advocacies.

The agreement was signed by FPI Chairman Jesus L. Arranza and Oriental & Motolite Marketing Corporation (OMMC) Marketing Head Alexander M. Osias.

Under the agreement, Motolite said FPI would promote the Balik Baterya Program to its members and other interested organizations, as well as sell the collected ULABS from its members and partner-organizations to OMMC for recycling based on the prevailing market buying price.

On the other hand, Motolite will provide and/or arrange for the pick-up of ULABS from FPI and/or its donors, then promptly remit to FPI the cash value of the collected ULABS.

The battery maker said it would also take care of the storage, handling, transport, and recycling of the ULAB through its accredited recycler, EERI.