Senate amends bill to expand Vermont battery stewardship program to include most rechargeable batteries

The Vermont Senate amended S254 on the floor to expand the state's primary battery stewardship program so it covers most rechargeable and nonrechargeable batteries and certain battery‑containing products. The amendment, offered by the Natural Resources and Energy Committee, passed on a voice vote and the Senate ordered the bill for third reading.

Senator from Washington, the bill's reporter, told the chamber the measure would fold rechargeable batteries into the existing mandatory stewardship organization (currently mandatory only for small primary batteries and voluntary for some rechargeable batteries) and would extend coverage to batteries identified in the bill text as up to '£25' and to battery‑containing products that meet three criteria (easily removable batteries, battery manufacturers not already registered with the stewardship organization, and products not covered by Vermont's electronic‑waste law). The senator described the change as a response to costs borne by solid waste districts and safety risks at collection sites.

Why it matters: Committee testimony cited disposal costs for larger batteries as high as $95 per unit for solid waste districts and noted safety concerns from damaged rechargeable batteries, including fires. The reporter said the bill requires the stewardship organization to provide safety training, fair compensation to municipalities and solid waste facilities that serve as collection sites, and to continue free public battery collection.

Implementation and timeline: The bill renames the program the Battery Stewardship Program. Producers of qualifying rechargeable batteries and qualifying battery‑containing products would be required to join the stewardship organization by March 1, 2025; an updated stewardship plan must be filed by June 1, 2025; producer reporting to the Agency of Natural Resources would begin in 2027. Most provisions were reported to take effect July 1, 2024, while retailer restrictions on sales from unregistered manufacturers were delayed to January 1, 2026, to allow retailers to sell through inventory.

Scope and exceptions: The reporter said certain batteries are exempt, including those not easily removable from products and batteries in medical devices. The bill also bans disposal of rechargeable or primary batteries in landfills and directs the Agency of Natural Resources to assess end‑of‑life options for larger batteries over '£25' or for batteries that are not easily removable (the bill text and transcript use the symbol '£25'; the unit is recorded in the transcript as written). The reporter cited examples—vehicle batteries, home battery systems, and integrated batteries in toys—as items requiring further study.

Stakeholders and support: Committee testimony came from the Product Stewardship Institute, the Agency of Natural Resources, Chittenden Solid Waste District, Call2Recycle (Rechargeable Battery Association), Northwest Vermont Solid Waste Management District and Addison County Solid Waste Management. The Natural Resources and Energy Committee recommended the bill favorably.

Next steps: The Senate amended S254 as offered by committee and ordered the bill for third reading. The floor exchange included questions about whether stewardship fees would raise retail battery prices; the reporter said committee testimony and voluntary program data indicated no expected price increase for Vermont consumers.