NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL (BATTERY CONTROL) REGULATIONS ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ( NESREA) AMENDMENT BILL

A Bill regulates battery waste management by enforcing safe collection, treatment, and recycling. It targets manufacturers, importers, and users to prevent environmental pollution and protect public health.

What Is This Policy?

The Regulations provide a legal framework for controlling pollution and waste from batteries (new and used), ensuring safe collection, treatment, recycling, and disposal.

Who Does It Target?

The policy is directed at battery manufacturers, importers, distributors, recyclers, and waste management companies. It also targets government agencies, communities, and consumers, ensuring safe handling and disposal of batteries to protect public health and the environment.

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

The central objective is to prevent and minimize pollution from batteries. It seeks to enforce extended producer responsibility, promote safe recycling, and protect soil, water, and air quality from hazardous substances like lead and acid.

Key Features

Scope: Applies to new and used batteries across their entire life cycle. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Producers are responsible for collection, treatment, and disposal. Polluter Pays Principle: Waste generators bear the cost of safe disposal. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): Required for facilities handling batteries. Emergency Response Plans: Mandatory for facilities to address spills or accidents. Audits & Monitoring: Regular environmental audits and compliance checks.

Current Status

Rollout Stage: active Coverage: applies nationwide Beneficiaries to Date: Communities (reduced pollution), government (stronger regulation), and compliant businesses (clear standards).

How to Access

Federal Government Gazette (2024): Vol. 111, Pages B321–385. NESREA Official Portal: https://nesrea.gov.ng FAOLEX/UNEP Law Platform: Hosts the full text of the Regulations.

Important Terms

Term 1- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) A mandatory report for facilities handling batteries. It outlines potential environmental risks and mitigation measures, ensuring preventive action before operations begin. Term 2- Polluter Pays Principle A cornerstone of environmental law. It mandates that those who generate battery waste bear the cost of its safe treatment and disposal. This discourages careless dumping and incentivizes cleaner production.

Official Resources

Federal Government Gazette (Extraordinary No. 52, March 26, 2024) Contains the full text of the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations, 2024. Vol. 111, Pages B321–385. FAOLEX / UNEP Law Platform Hosts Nigeria’s Battery Control Regulations, Statutory Instrument No. 11 of 2024, with summaries and international context. NESREA (National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency) Custodian of the regulations, responsible for enforcement and compliance monitoring. Website: https://nesrea.gov.ng Contact: No. 56 Lome Crescent, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja. Email: [email protected], Phone: +234 915 399 3191 Link to document- https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/nig231729.pdf

Legal Framework

The National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations operate under the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Act 2007, which empowers the Agency to make sector-specific environmental regulations. They align with the Environmental Impact Assessment Act 1992, the Harmful Waste (Special Criminal Provisions) Act, and Nigeria's obligations under the Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes and the Minamata Convention on Mercury (relevant to battery chemicals).