Feedback sought on battery disposal legislation for NSW

Regulations to address dangerous battery handling and disposal are now open for community and industry feedback.

The regulations proposed by the New South Wales Government seek to ensure that battery brand owners, who supply batteries for sale across the state, take greater responsibility for the environmental and safety impacts of their products.

With 241 battery-related fire incidents having already occurred in New South Wales this year, the State Government said there has never been a more important time to act.

The new regulations will apply to small, removable, or rechargeable batteries under five kilograms and batteries used in devices such as e-bikes and e-scooters.

Under the proposed regulations, it would be mandatory for battery brand owners to participate in a product stewardship scheme, paying a fee on their products.

Third-party delivery groups would then be required to use those funds to create safer processes for battery disposal and handling.

Some of the proposed safety actions include keeping batteries out of landfill by maximising the volume of batteries that are recovered, rolling out public education campaigns to improve awareness of battery risks, safe disposal and recycling of battery products via dedicated collection points and reporting on the number of batteries supplied in New South Wales each year.

New South Wales is the first Australian state to move to regulate batteries to take action against dangerous fires. This follows a move earlier this year to pass the Product Lifecycle Responsibility Act 2025.

The Product Lifecycle Responsibility Act 2025 is a New South Wales law that establishes a framework for mandatory product stewardship for certain products, making brand owners responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products.

The State Government said shifting from a voluntary stewardship scheme to a mandatory government-regulated approach will ensure integrity and accountability in managing the life cycle of batteries and will aid in reducing the increasing number of battery-related fires across the state.

Battery brand owners who fail to comply with the regulation would face penalties up to $880,000.

Penny Sharpe, Minister for the Environment, said the state has seen a rise in battery fires over recent years, driven by the growing number of products powered by lithium-ion batteries.

“These fires are hot, fast and incredibly difficult to put out,” said Sharpe. “This regulation is crucial to reduce the risks batteries can pose when damaged, mishandled or improperly disposed of.

“By acting now to make product stewardship mandatory for certain batteries, we can keep potentially dangerous products out of the general waste system – protecting people, the environment and the waste and resource recovery sector from further harm.”

Feedback is open until 14 November 2025.

For more information, visit: yoursay.epa.nsw.gov.au