The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has granted interim authorisation to the Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) to continue operating the Battery Stewardship Scheme. This authorisation allows for limited adjustments to the Scheme’s levy and rebates, which are crucial for its ongoing financial stability.

The BSC was established in 2018 with the aim of enhancing battery collection and recycling across Australia. In September 2020, the ACCC authorized the BSC to implement a national scheme for managing end-of-life batteries, which includes a weight-based levy of 4 cents per equivalent battery unit on imported batteries.

With the interim authorisation, the BSC can adjust the levy to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index since the Scheme's inception. ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh emphasized the environmental benefits of the Scheme, which diverts batteries from landfills and raises public awareness about proper battery disposal and reuse.

The interim authorisation also allows the BSC to develop new eco-modulated levy arrangements based on battery type, ensuring that rebates to participants accurately reflect the costs of safe collection and sorting, while also rewarding processing performance.

To mitigate risks associated with button batteries, the ACCC has mandated that the BSC continue its Button Battery Safety Strategy. The ACCC is currently reviewing the BSC’s broader application, which includes proposals to expand the Scheme and refine levy and rebate mechanisms, with stakeholders invited to comment on the draft determination.

This interim authorisation will take effect from June 4, 2025, and will remain until the ACCC issues its final determination, unless revoked or amended. The BSC is a not-for-profit entity focused on promoting the safe collection, recycling, and disposal of end-of-life batteries, excluding automotive lead-acid batteries and those in other recycling programs.