103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5348

 

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Rep. Sharon Chung

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Portable Batteries Stewardship Act. Requires producers that are selling or distributing certain batteries to participate in a battery stewardship organization. Requires certain batteries to be marked with specified labeling for the purposes of later disposal. Provides for roles of retailers with respect to certain batteries. Prohibits retailers, producers, or battery stewardship organizations from charging a specific point-of-sale fee to consumers. Describes reporting and plan approval requirements. Provides that battery stewardship organizations must develop a system to collect charges from participating producers to cover expenses and duties of battery stewardship organizations. Provides for specified collection containers and locations for specified batteries. Provides that battery stewardship organizations must provide certain permanent collection sites and meet other requirements. Provides for use of existing waste collection services and facilities where practicable. Provides for educational and outreach requirements. Provides for an annual fee to the Agency to be deposited into the Solid Waste Management Fund. Describes responsibilities of the Agency. Provides for a $7,000 civil penalty for violations collected through a civil action brought by a State's Attorney or the Attorney General to be deposited into the Environmental Protection Trust Fund, as well as prohibitory or mandatory injunctive relief. Creates a Class 4 felony for fraud related to the Act. Sets requirements for battery disposal and collection. Prohibits certain types of battery disposal and collection. Provides for battery stewardship organizations to complete an assessment for the purposes of identifying any required adjustments to the program. Grants immunity to certain organizations from antitrust requirements and related laws. Grants rulemaking powers to the Agency. Contains other provisions. States findings and purposes. Defines terms. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB5348LRB103 39024 BDA 69161 b

1    AN Act concerning safety.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Illinois Portable Batteries Stewardship Act.
 
6    Section 5. Findings and purpose. The General Assembly
7finds that:
8        (1) It is in the public interest of the citizens of
9    Illinois to encourage the recovery and reuse of materials,
10    such as metals, that replace the output of mining and
11    other extractive industries.
12        (2) Without a dedicated battery stewardship program,
13    battery user confusion regarding proper disposal options
14    will continue to persist.
15        (3) Ensuring the proper handling, recycling, and
16    end-of-life management of used batteries prevents the
17    release of toxic materials into the environment and
18    removes materials from the waste stream that, if
19    mishandled, may present safety concerns to workers, such
20    as by igniting fires at solid waste handling facilities.
21    For this reason, batteries should not be placed into
22    commingled recycling containers or disposed of via
23    traditional garbage collection containers.

 

 

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1        (4) Jurisdictions around the world have successfully
2    implemented battery stewardship laws that have helped
3    address the challenges posed by the end-of-life management
4    of batteries. Because it is difficult for customers to
5    differentiate between types and chemistries of batteries,
6    it is the best practice for battery stewardship programs
7    to collect all battery types and chemistries. Furthermore,
8    it is appropriate for larger batteries used in emerging
9    market sectors such as electric vehicles, solar power
10    arrays, and data centers to be managed to ensure
11    environmentally positive outcomes similar to those
12    achieved by a battery stewardship program, both because of
13    the potential economic value of large batteries used for
14    these purposes and the anticipated profusion of these
15    larger batteries as these market sectors mature.
 
16    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
17    "Agency" means the Illinois Environmental Protection
18Agency.
19    "Battery-containing product" means a product that contains
20or is packaged with rechargeable or primary batteries that are
21covered batteries. A "battery-containing product" does not
22include a covered electronic product under an approved plan
23implemented under the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act.
24    "Battery stewardship organization" means a producer that
25directly implements a battery stewardship plan required under

 

 

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1this Act or a nonprofit organization designated by a producer
2or group of producers to implement a battery stewardship plan
3required under this Act.
4    "Collection rate" means a percentage, by weight, that a
5battery stewardship organization collects that is calculated
6by dividing the total weight of primary and rechargeable
7batteries collected during the previous calendar year by the
8average annual weight of primary and rechargeable batteries
9that were estimated to have been sold in the State by all
10producers participating in an approved battery stewardship
11plan during the previous 3 calendar years.
12    "Covered battery" means a portable battery or, beginning
13January 1, 2028, a medium format battery. "Covered battery"
14does not include:
15        (1) a battery contained within a medical device, as
16    specified in 21 U.S.C. 321(h) as it existed as of the
17    effective date of this Act, that is not designed and
18    marketed for sale or resale principally to consumers for
19    personal use;
20        (2) a battery that contains an electrolyte as a free
21    liquid;
22        (3) a lead-acid battery weighing greater than 11
23    pounds;
24        (4) a battery subject to the provisions of Section
25    22.23 of the Environmental Protection Act; and
26        (5) aA battery in a battery-containing product that is

 

 

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1    not intended or designed to be easily removable from the
2    battery-containing product.
3    "Easily removable" means designed by the manufacturer to
4be removable by the user of the product with no more than
5commonly used household tools.
6    "Environmentally sound management practices" means
7practices that: (a) comply with all applicable laws and rules
8to protect workers, public health, and the environment; (b)
9provide for adequate recordkeeping, tracking, and documenting
10of the fate of materials within the State and beyond; and (c)
11include comprehensive liability coverage for the battery
12stewardship organization, including environmental liability
13coverage that is commercially practicable.
14    "Large format battery" means:
15        (1) a rechargeable battery that weighs more than 25
16    pounds or has a rating of more than 2,000 watt-hours; or
17        (2) a primary battery that weighs more than 25 pounds.
18    "Medium format battery" means the following primary or
19rechargeable covered batteries:
20        (1) for rechargeable batteries, a battery weighing
21    more than 11 pounds or has a rating of more than 300
22    watt-hours, or both, and no more than 25 pounds and has a
23    rating of no more than 2,000 watt-hours; and
24        (2) for primary batteries, a battery weighing more
25    than 4.4 pounds but not more than 25 pounds.
26    "Portable battery" means the following primary or

 

 

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1rechargeable covered batteries:
2        (1) for rechargeable batteries, a battery weighing no
3    more than 11 pounds and has a rating of no more than 300
4    watt-hours; and
5        (2) for primary batteries, a battery weighing no more
6    than 4.4 pounds.
7    "Primary battery" means a battery that is not capable of
8being recharged.
9    "Producer" means the following person responsible for
10compliance with requirements under this Act for a covered
11battery or battery-containing product sold, offered for sale,
12or distributed in or into this State:
13        (1) For covered batteries:
14            (A) if the battery is sold under the brand of the
15        battery manufacturer, the producer is the person that
16        manufactures the battery;
17            (B) if the battery is sold under a retail brand or
18        under a brand owned by a person other than the
19        manufacturer, the producer is the brand owner;
20            (C) if there is no person to which (A) or (B) of
21        this paragraph regarding covered batteries applies,
22        the producer is the person that is the licensee of a
23        brand or trademark under which the battery is used in a
24        commercial enterprise, sold, offered for sale, or
25        distributed in or into this State, whether or not the
26        trademark is registered in this State;

 

 

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1            (D) if there is no person described in (A) through
2        (C) of this paragraph regarding covered batteries
3        within the United States, the producer is the person
4        who is the importer of record for the battery into the
5        United States for use in a commercial enterprise that
6        sells, offers for sale, or distributes the battery in
7        this State; or
8            (E) if there is no person described in (A) through
9        (D) of this paragraph regarding covered batteries with
10        a commercial presence within the State, the producer
11        is the person who first sells, offers for sale, or
12        distributes the battery in or into this State.
13        (2) For covered battery-containing products:
14            (A) if the battery-containing product is sold
15        under the brand of the product manufacturer, the
16        producer is the person that manufactures the product;
17            (B) if the battery-containing product is sold
18        under a retail brand or under a brand owned by a person
19        other than the manufacturer, the producer is the brand
20        owner;
21            (C) if there is no person to which (A) or (B) of
22        this paragraph regarding covered battery-containing
23        products applies, the producer is the person that is
24        the licensee of a brand or trademark under which the
25        product is used in a commercial enterprise, sold,
26        offered for sale, or distributed in or into this

 

 

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1        State, whether or not the trademark is registered in
2        this State;
3            (D) if there is no person described in (A) through
4        (C) of this paragraph regarding covered
5        battery-containing products applies within the United
6        States, the producer is the person who is the importer
7        of record for the product into the United States for
8        use in a commercial enterprise that sells, offers for
9        sale, or distributes the product in this State;
10            (E) if there is no person described in (A) through
11        (D) of this paragraph regarding covered
12        battery-containing products with a commercial presence
13        within the State, the producer is the person who first
14        sells, offers for sale, or distributes the product in
15        or into this State; or
16            (F) a producer does not include any person who
17        only manufactures, sells, offers for sale,
18        distributes, or imports into the State a
19        battery-containing product if the only batteries used
20        by the battery-containing product are supplied by a
21        producer that has joined a registered battery
22        stewardship organization as the producer for that
23        covered battery under this Act. Such a producer of
24        covered batteries that are included in a
25        battery-containing product must provide written
26        certification of that membership to both the producer

 

 

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1        of the covered battery-containing product and the
2        battery stewardship organization of which the battery
3        producer is a member.
4    A person is the "producer" of a covered battery or covered
5battery-containing product sold, offered for sale, or
6distributed in or into this State, except where another party
7has contractually accepted responsibility as a responsible
8producer and has joined a registered battery stewardship
9organization as the producer for that covered battery or
10covered battery-containing product under this Act.
11    "Program" means a program implemented by a battery
12stewardship organization consistent with an approved battery
13stewardship plan.
14    "Rechargeable battery" means a battery that contains one
15or more voltaic or galvanic cells, electrically connected to
16produce electric energy, designed to be recharged.
17    "Recycling" means transforming or remanufacturing waste
18materials into usable or marketable materials for use other
19than:
20        (1) combustion;
21        (2) incineration;
22        (3) energy generation;
23        (4) fuel production; or
24        (5) beneficial reuse in the construction and operation
25    of a solid waste landfill, including use of alternative
26    daily cover.

 

 

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1    "Recycling efficiency rate" means the ratio of the weight
2of covered battery components and materials recycled by a
3program operator from covered batteries to the weight of those
4covered batteries collected by the program operator.
5    "Retailer" means a person who sells covered batteries or
6battery-containing products in or into this State or offers or
7otherwise makes available covered batteries or
8battery-containing products to a customer, including other
9businesses, for use by a customer in this State.
 
10    Section 25. Requirement that producers implement a
11stewardship plan. Beginning January 1, 2026:
12        (1) Each producer selling, making available for sale,
13    or distributing covered batteries or battery-containing
14    products in or into the State of Illinois shall
15    participate in an approved Illinois State battery
16    stewardship plan through participation in and appropriate
17    funding of a battery stewardship organization; and
18        (2) A producer that does not participate in a battery
19    stewardship organization and battery stewardship plan may
20    not sell covered batteries or battery-containing products
21    covered by this Act in or into Illinois.
 
22    Section 30. Role of Retailers.
23    (a) Beginning July 1, 2026, for portable batteries, and
24July 1, 2028, for medium format batteries, a retailer may not

 

 

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1sell, offer for sale, distribute, or otherwise make available
2for sale a covered battery or battery-containing product
3unless the producer of the covered battery or
4battery-containing product certifies to the retailer that the
5producer participates in a battery stewardship organization
6whose plan has been approved by the Agency.
7    (b) A retailer is in compliance with the requirements of
8subsection (a) of this Section and is not subject to penalties
9under Section 70 of this Act as long as the website made
10available by the Agency under Section 65 of this Act lists, as
11of the date a product is made available for retail sale, a
12producer or brand of covered battery or battery-containing
13product sold by the retailer as being a participant in an
14approved plan or the implementer of an approved plan.
15    (c) Retailers of covered batteries or battery-containing
16products are not required to make retail locations available
17to serve as collection sites for a stewardship program
18operated by a battery stewardship organization. Retailers that
19serve as a collection site must comply with the requirements
20for collection sites, consistent with Section 50 of this Act.
21    (d) A retailer may not sell, offer for sale, distribute,
22or otherwise make available for sale covered batteries, unless
23those batteries are marked consistent with the requirements of
24Section 75 of this Act. A producer of a battery-containing
25product containing a covered battery must certify to the
26retailers of their product that the battery contained in the

 

 

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1battery-containing product is marked consistent with the
2requirements of Section 75 of this Act. A retailer may rely on
3this certification for purposes of compliance under this
4subsection.
5    (e) A retailer selling or offering covered batteries or
6battery-containing products for sale in Illinois may provide
7information, provided to the retailer by the battery
8stewardship organization, regarding available end-of-life
9management options for covered batteries collected by the
10battery stewardship organization. The information that a
11battery stewardship organization must make available to
12retailers for voluntary use by retailers must include, but is
13not limited to, in-store signage, written materials, and other
14promotional materials that retailers may use to inform
15customers of the available end-of-life management options for
16covered batteries collected by the battery stewardship
17organization.
18    (f) Retailers, producers, or battery stewardship
19organizations shall not charge a specific point-of-sale fee to
20consumers to cover the administrative or operational costs of
21the battery stewardship organization or the battery
22stewardship program.
 
23    Section 35. Stewardship plan components.
24    (a) By July 1, 2025, each battery stewardship organization
25must submit a plan for covered portable batteries to the

 

 

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1Agency for approval. By July 1, 2027, each battery stewardship
2organization must submit a plan for covered medium format
3batteries to the Agency for approval. A battery stewardship
4organization may submit a plan at any time to the Agency for
5review and approval. The Agency must review and may approve a
6plan based on whether it contains and adequately addresses the
7following components:
8        (1) lists and provides contact information for each
9    producer, battery brand, and battery-containing product
10    brand covered in the plan;
11        (2) proposes performance goals, consistent with
12    Section 40 of this Act, including establishing performance
13    goals for each of the next 3 upcoming calendar years of
14    program implementation;
15        (3) describes how the battery stewardship organization
16    will make retailers aware of their obligation to sell only
17    covered batteries and battery-containing products of
18    producers participating in an approved plan;
19        (4) describes the education and communications
20    strategy being implemented to effectively promote
21    participation in the approved covered battery stewardship
22    program and provide the information necessary for
23    effective participation of consumers, retailers, and
24    others;
25        (5) describes how the battery stewardship organization
26    will make available to collection sites, for voluntary

 

 

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1    use, signage, written materials, and other promotional
2    materials that collection sites may use to inform
3    consumers of the available end-of-life management options
4    for covered batteries collected by the battery stewardship
5    organization;
6        (6) lists promotional activities to be undertaken, and
7    the identification of consumer awareness goals and
8    strategies that the program will employ to achieve these
9    goals after the program begins to be implemented;
10        (7) includes collection site safety training
11    procedures related to covered battery collection
12    activities at collection sites, including appropriate
13    protocols to reduce risks of spills or fires and response
14    protocols in the event of a spill or fire, and a protocol
15    for safe management of damaged batteries that are returned
16    to collection sites;
17        (8) describes the method to establish and administer a
18    means for fully funding the program in a manner that
19    equitably distributes the program's costs among the
20    producers that are part of the battery stewardship
21    organization. For producers that elect to meet the
22    requirements of this Act individually, without joining a
23    battery stewardship organization, the plan must describe
24    the proposed method to establish and administer a means
25    for fully funding the program;
26        (9) describes the financing methods used to implement

 

 

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1    the plan, consistent with Section 45 of this Act;
2        (10) describes how the program will collect all
3    covered battery chemistries and brands on a free,
4    continuous, convenient, visible, and accessible basis, and
5    consistent with the requirements of Section 50 of this
6    Act, including a description of how the statewide
7    convenience standard will be met and a list of collection
8    sites, including the address of collection sites;
9        (11) describes the criteria to be used in the program
10    to determine whether an entity may serve as a collection
11    site for discarded batteries under the program;
12        (12) establishes collection goals for each of the
13    first 3 years of implementation of the battery stewardship
14    plan that are based on the estimated total weight of
15    primary and rechargeable covered batteries that have been
16    sold in the State in the previous 3 calendar years by the
17    producers participating in the battery stewardship plan;
18        (13) identifies proposed sorters, transporters,
19    processors, and facilities to be used by the program for
20    the final disposition of batteries and how collected
21    batteries will be managed in an environmentally sound
22    manner at facilities operating with human health and
23    environmental protection standards that are broadly
24    equivalent to or better than those required in the United
25    States;
26        (14) details how the program will achieve a recycling

 

 

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1    efficiency rate, calculated consistent with Section 60 of
2    this Act, of at least 60% for rechargeable batteries and
3    at least 70% for primary batteries; and
4        (15) proposes goals for increasing public awareness of
5    the program and describes how the public education and
6    outreach components of the program under Section 55 of
7    this Act will be implemented.
8    (b) The Agency shall review the stewardship plan for
9compliance with this Act and shall approve, disapprove, or
10conditionally approve the plan within 120 days of receipt of
11the plan. If the Agency disapproves a stewardship plan
12submitted by a battery stewardship organization, the Agency
13shall explain how the stewardship plan does not comply with
14this Act and provide written notice to the battery stewardship
15organization within 30 days of disapproval. The battery
16stewardship organization may resubmit to the Agency a revised
17stewardship plan within 60 days of the date the written notice
18was issued, and the Agency shall review the revised
19stewardship plan within 90 days of resubmittal. If a revised
20stewardship plan is disapproved by the Agency, a producer
21operating under the stewardship plan shall not be in
22compliance with this Act until the Agency approves a
23stewardship plan submitted by a battery stewardship
24organization that covers the producer's products.
25    (c) If required by the Agency, a battery stewardship
26organization must submit a new plan to the Agency for

 

 

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1approval:
2        (1) if there are significant changes to the methods of
3    collection, transport, or end-of-life management of
4    covered batteries under Section 50 of this Act that are
5    not provided for in the plan, the Agency may identify the
6    types of significant changes that require a new plan to be
7    submitted to the Agency for approval; for purposes of this
8    subsection (c), adding or removing a processor or
9    transporter under the plan is not considered a significant
10    change that requires a plan resubmittal;
11        (2) to address the novel inclusion of medium format
12    batteries or large format batteries as covered batteries
13    under the plan; and
14        (3) no less than every 5 years.
15    (d) If required by the Agency, a battery stewardship
16organization must provide plan amendments to the Agency for
17approval:
18        (1) when proposing changes to the performance goals
19    under Section 40 of this Act based on the up-to-date
20    experience of the program;
21        (2) when there is a change to the method of financing
22    plan implementation under Section 45 of this Act. This
23    does not include changes to the fees or fee structure
24    established in the plan; or
25        (3) when adding or removing a processor or
26    transporter, as part of a quarterly update submitted to

 

 

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1    the Agency.
2    (e) As part of a quarterly update, a battery stewardship
3organization must notify the Agency after a producer begins or
4ceases to participate in a battery stewardship organization.
5The quarterly update submitted to the Agency must also include
6a current list of the producers and brands participating in
7the plan.
8    (f) No earlier than 5 years after the initial approval of a
9plan, the Agency may require a battery stewardship
10organization to submit a revised plan, which may include
11improvements to the collection site network or increased
12expenditures dedicated to education and outreach if the
13approved plan has not met the performance goals under Section
1440 of this Act.
 
15    Section 40. Stewardship program components; performance
16goals.
17    (a) Each battery stewardship plan must include performance
18goals that measure, on an annual basis, the achievements of
19the program, including:
20        (1) the collection rate for batteries in Illinois;
21        (2) the recycling efficiency rate of the program; and
22        (3) public awareness of the program.
23    (b) The performance goals established in each battery
24stewardship plan must include, but are not limited to:
25        (1) target collection rates for primary batteries and

 

 

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1    for rechargeable batteries;
2        (2) target recycling efficiency rates of at least 60%
3    for rechargeable batteries and at least 70% for primary
4    batteries; and
5        (3) goals for public awareness, convenience, and
6    accessibility that meet or exceed the minimum requirements
7    established in Section 50 of this Act.
 
8    Section 45. Stewardship program components; funding.
9    (a) Each battery stewardship organization must ensure
10adequate funding is available to fully implement approved
11battery stewardship plans, including the implementation of
12aspects of the plan addressing:
13        (1) battery collection, transporting, and processing;
14        (2) education and outreach;
15        (3) program evaluation; and
16        (4) payment of the administrative fees to the Agency
17    under Section 65 of this Act.
18    (b) A battery stewardship organization implementing a
19battery stewardship plan on behalf of producers must develop,
20and continually improve over the years of program
21implementation a system to collect charges from participating
22producers to cover the costs of plan implementation.
23    (c) Each battery stewardship organization is responsible
24for all costs of participating covered battery collection,
25transportation, processing, education, administration, agency

 

 

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1reimbursement, recycling, and end-of-life management in
2accordance with the requirements of this Act and
3environmentally sound management practices. Each battery
4stewardship organization must meet the collection goals as
5specified in Section 35 of this Act. A battery stewardship
6organization is not authorized to reduce or cease collection,
7education and outreach, or other activities implemented under
8an approved plan based on achievement of program performance
9goals.
10    (d) A battery stewardship organization must reimburse
11local governments for demonstrable costs incurred as a result
12of a local government facility or solid waste handling
13facility serving as a collection site for a program including,
14but not limited to, associated labor costs and other costs
15associated with accessibility and collection site standards
16such as storage. A battery stewardship organization shall, at
17a minimum, provide collection sites with appropriate
18containers for covered batteries subject to its program,
19training, signage, safety guidance, and educational materials,
20at no cost to the collection sites.
 
21    Section 50. Stewardship program components; collection and
22management requirements.
23    (a) Battery stewardship organizations implementing a
24battery stewardship plan must provide for the collection of
25all covered batteries, including all chemistries and brands of

 

 

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1covered batteries, on a free, continuous, convenient, visible,
2and accessible basis to any person, business, governmental
3agency, or nonprofit organization. Except as provided in
4subsection (b), paragraph (1) of this Section, each battery
5stewardship plan must allow any person, business, governmental
6agency, or nonprofit organization to discard each chemistry
7and brand of covered battery at each collection site that
8counts toward the satisfaction of the collection site criteria
9in subsection (c) of this Section.
10    (b) For each collection site used by the program, each
11battery stewardship organization must provide suitable
12collection containers for covered batteries that are
13segregated from other solid waste or make mutually agreeable
14alternative arrangements for the collection of batteries at
15the site. The location of collection containers at each
16collection site used by the program must be within view of a
17responsible person and must be accompanied by signage made
18available to the collection site by the battery stewardship
19organization that informs customers regarding the end-of-life
20management options for batteries provided by the collection
21site under this Act. Each collection site must meet applicable
22federal, state, and local regulatory requirements and adhere
23to the operations manual and other safety information provided
24to the collection site by the battery stewardship
25organization. Other relevant requirements are as follows:
26        (1) Medium format batteries may only be collected at

 

 

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1    household hazardous waste collection sites or other
2    staffed collection sites that meet applicable federal,
3    state, and local regulatory requirements to manage medium
4    format batteries.
5        (2) Damaged and defective batteries are intended to be
6    collected at collection sites staffed by persons trained
7    to handle and ship those batteries.
8        (3) Each battery stewardship organization must provide
9    for collection of damaged and defective batteries in each
10    county of the State, either through collection sites or
11    collection events with qualified staff as specified in
12    paragraph (2) of this subsection (b). Collection events
13    should be provided periodically throughout the year if
14    practicable but must be provided at least once per year,
15    at a minimum, in each county in which there are not
16    permanent collection sites providing for the collection of
17    damaged and defective batteries.
18        (4) As used in this subsection (b), "damaged and
19    defective batteries" means batteries that have been
20    damaged or identified by the manufacturer as being
21    defective for safety reasons, that have the potential of
22    producing a dangerous evolution of heat, fire, or short
23    circuit, as referred to in 49 CFR 173.185(f) as of January
24    1, 2023, or as updated by the Agency by rule to maintain
25    consistency with federal standards.
26    (c) Each battery stewardship organization implementing a

 

 

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1battery stewardship plan shall ensure statewide collection
2opportunities for all covered batteries. Battery stewardship
3organizations shall coordinate activities with other program
4operators, including covered battery collection and recycle
5programs and electronic waste recyclers, with regard to the
6proper management or recycling of collected covered batteries,
7for purposes of providing the efficient delivery of services
8and avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort and expense.
9Statewide collection opportunities must be determined by
10geographic information modeling that considers permanent
11collection sites. A program may rely, in part, on collection
12events to supplement the permanent collection services
13required in this subsection (c) and paragraph (1) of this
14subsection (c). However, only permanent collection services
15specified in this subsection (c) and paragraph (1) of this
16subsection (c) qualify toward the satisfaction of the
17requirements of this subsection (c).
18        (1) For portable batteries, each battery stewardship
19    organization must provide statewide collection
20    opportunities that include, but are not limited to, the
21    provision of:
22            (A) at least one permanent collection site for
23        portable batteries within a 15-mile radius for at
24        least 95% of Illinois residents;
25            (B) at least one permanent collection site,
26        collection service, or collection event for portable

 

 

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1        batteries in addition to those required in
2        subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of this subsection
3        (c) for every 30,000 residents of a county; and
4            (C) collection opportunities for portable
5        batteries at special locations where batteries are
6        often spent and replaced, such as supervised locations
7        at parks with stores and campgrounds.
8        (2) For medium format batteries, a battery stewardship
9    organization must provide statewide collection
10    opportunities that include, but are not limited to, the
11    provision of:
12            (A) at least 10 permanent collection sites in
13        Illinois during the initial 5-year plan period;
14            (B) reasonable geographic dispersion of collection
15        sites throughout the State;
16            (C) a permanent collection site in each county of
17        at least 200,000 persons, as determined by the most
18        recent population estimate of the office of financial
19        management; and
20            (D) service to areas without a permanent
21        collection site; a battery stewardship organization
22        must ensure that there is a collection event at least
23        once every 3 years in each county of the State which
24        does not have a permanent collection site; such
25        collection events must provide for the collection of
26        all medium format batteries, including damaged and

 

 

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1        defective batteries.
2    (d) Battery stewardship programs must use existing public
3and private waste collection services and facilities,
4including battery collection sites that are established
5through other battery collection services, transporters,
6consolidators, processors, and retailers, where
7cost-effective, mutually agreeable, and otherwise practicable.
8        (1) Battery stewardship programs must use as a
9    collection site for covered batteries any retailer,
10    wholesaler, municipality, solid waste management facility,
11    household hazardous waste facility, or other entity that
12    meets the criteria for collection sites in the approved
13    plan up to the minimum number of sites required for
14    compliance with subsection (c) of this Section, upon the
15    submission of a request by the entity to the battery
16    stewardship organization to serve as a collection site.
17    Battery stewardship programs may use additional collection
18    sites in excess of the minimum required in subsection (c)
19    of this Section as may be agreed between the battery
20    stewardship organization and the collection site.
21        (2) Battery stewardship programs must use as a site
22    for a collection event for covered batteries any retailer,
23    wholesaler, municipality, solid waste management facility,
24    household hazardous waste facility, or other entity that
25    meets the criteria for collection events in the approved
26    plan up to the minimum number of sites required for

 

 

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1    compliance with subsection (c) of this Section, upon the
2    submission of a request by the entity to the battery
3    stewardship organization to serve as a site for a
4    collection event. Battery stewardship programs may use
5    additional sites for collection events in excess of the
6    minimum required in subsection (c) of this Section as may
7    be agreed between the battery stewardship organization and
8    the collection site.
9        (3) A battery stewardship organization may issue a
10    warning, suspend, or terminate a collection site or
11    service that does not adhere to the collection site
12    criteria in the approved plan or that poses an immediate
13    health and safety concern.
14    (e) Stewardship programs are not required to provide for
15the collection of the following, with the exceptions noted:
16        (1) Stewardship programs are not required to provide
17    for the collection of battery-containing products.
18        (2) Stewardship programs are not required to provide
19    for the collection of batteries that:
20            (A) are not easily removable from the product
21        other than by the manufacturer; and
22            (B) remain contained in a battery-containing
23        product at the time of delivery to a collection site.
24        (3) Stewardship programs are required to provide for
25    the collection of loose batteries.
26        (4) Stewardship programs are not required to provide

 

 

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1    for the collection of batteries still contained in covered
2    electronic products under the Consumer Electronics
3    Recycling Act.
 
4    Section 55. Stewardship program components; education and
5outreach requirements.
6    (a) Each battery stewardship organization must carry out
7promotional activities in support of plan implementation
8including, but not limited to, the development:
9        (1) and maintenance of a website;
10        (2) and distribution of periodic press releases and
11    articles;
12        (3) and placement of advertisements for use on social
13    media or other relevant media platforms;
14        (4) of promotional materials about the program and the
15    restriction on the disposal of covered batteries in
16    Section 80 of this Act to be used by persons including, but
17    not limited to, retailers, government agencies, waste and
18    recycling collectors, and nonprofit organizations;
19        (5) and distribution of collection site safety
20    training procedures that are in compliance with State law
21    to collection sites to help ensure proper management of
22    covered batteries at collection sites; and
23        (6) and implementation of outreach and educational
24    resources that are conceptually, linguistically, and
25    culturally accurate for the communities served and reach

 

 

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1    the State's diverse ethnic populations, including through
2    meaningful consultation with communities that bear
3    disproportionately higher levels of adverse environmental
4    and social justice impacts.
5    (b) Each battery stewardship organization must provide:
6        (1) consumer-focused educational promotional
7    materials to each collection site used by the program and
8    accessible by customers of retailers that sell covered
9    batteries or battery-containing products; and
10        (2) safety information related to covered battery
11    collection activities to the operator of each collection
12    site, including appropriate protocols to reduce risks of
13    spills or fires, response protocols in the event of a
14    spill or fire, and response protocols in the event of
15    detection of a damaged or defective battery.
16    (c) Each battery stewardship organization must provide
17educational materials to the operator of each collection site
18for the management of recalled batteries, which are not
19intended to be part of collection as provided under Section 50
20of this Act, to help facilitate transportation and processing
21of recalled batteries. A battery stewardship organization may
22seek reimbursement from the producer of the recalled battery
23for expenses incurred in the collection, transportation, or
24processing of those batteries.
25    (d) Upon request by a retailer or other potential
26collector, the battery stewardship organization must provide

 

 

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1the retailer or other potential collector educational
2materials describing collection opportunities for batteries.
3    (e) If multiple battery stewardship organizations are
4implementing plans approved by the Agency, the battery
5stewardship organizations must coordinate in carrying out
6their education and outreach responsibilities under this
7Section and must include in their annual reports to the Agency
8under Section 60 of this Act a summary of their coordinated
9education and outreach efforts.
10    (f) During the first year of program implementation and
11every 5 years thereafter, each battery stewardship
12organization must carry out a survey of public awareness
13regarding the requirements of the program established under
14this Act, including the provisions of Section 80 of this Act.
15Each battery stewardship organization must share the results
16of the public awareness surveys with the Agency.
 
17    Section 60. Reporting requirements.
18    (a) By June 1, 2027, and each June 1st thereafter, each
19battery stewardship organization must submit an annual report
20to the Agency covering the preceding calendar year of battery
21stewardship plan implementation. The report must include:
22        (1) An independent financial assessment of a program
23    implemented by the battery stewardship organization,
24    including a breakdown of the program's expenses, such as
25    collection, recycling, education, and overhead, when

 

 

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1    required by the Agency;
2        (2) A summary financial statement documenting the
3    financing of a battery stewardship organization's program
4    and an analysis of program costs and expenditures,
5    including an analysis of the program's expenses, such as
6    collection, transportation, recycling, education, and
7    administrative overhead. The summary financial statement
8    must be sufficiently detailed to provide transparency that
9    funds collected from producers as a result of their
10    activities in Illinois are spent on program implementation
11    in Illinois. Battery stewardship organizations
12    implementing similar battery stewardship programs in
13    multiple states may submit a financial statement including
14    all covered states, as long as the statement breaks out
15    financial information pertinent to Illinois;
16            (A) the weight, by chemistry, of covered batteries
17        collected under the program;
18            (B) the weight of materials recycled from covered
19        batteries collected under the program, in total, and
20        by method of battery recycling;
21            (C) a calculation of the recycling efficiency
22        rates, as measured consistent with subsection (b) of
23        this Section;
24            (D) for each facility used for the final
25        disposition of batteries, a description of how the
26        facility recycled or otherwise disposed of batteries

 

 

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1        and battery components;
2            (E) the weight and chemistry of batteries sent to
3        each facility used for the final disposition of
4        batteries. The information in this subsection (a),
5        paragraph (E) may be approximated for program
6        operations in Illinois based on extrapolations of
7        national or regional data for programs in operation in
8        multiple states;
9            (F) the collection rate achieved under the
10        program, including a description of how this
11        collection rate was calculated and how it compares to
12        the collection rate goals under Section 40 of this
13        Act;
14            (G) the estimated aggregate sales, by weight and
15        chemistry, of batteries and batteries contained in or
16        with battery-containing products sold in Illinois by
17        participating producers for each of the previous 3
18        calendar years;
19            (H) a description of the manner in which the
20        collected batteries were managed and recycled,
21        including a discussion of best available technologies
22        and the recycling efficiency rate;
23            (I) a description of education and outreach
24        efforts supporting plan implementation including, but
25        not limited to, a summary of education and outreach
26        provided to consumers, collection sites,

 

 

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1        manufacturers, distributors, and retailers by the
2        program operator for the purpose of promoting the
3        collection and recycling of covered batteries, a
4        description of how that education and outreach met the
5        requirements of Section 55 of this Act, samples of
6        education and outreach materials, a summary of
7        coordinated education and outreach efforts with any
8        other battery stewardship organizations implementing a
9        plan approved by the Agency, and a summary of any
10        changes made during the previous calendar year to
11        education and outreach activities;
12            (J) a list of all collection sites and an address
13        for each listed site, and an up-to-date map indicating
14        the location of all collection sites used to implement
15        the program, with links to appropriate websites where
16        there are existing websites associated with a site;
17            (K) a description of methods used to collect,
18        transport, and recycle covered batteries by the
19        battery stewardship organization;
20            (L) a summary on progress made toward the program
21        performance goals established under Section 40 of this
22        Act, and an explanation of why performance goals were
23        not met, if applicable; and
24            (M) an evaluation of the effectiveness of
25        education and outreach activities.
26    (b) The weight of batteries or recovered resources from

 

 

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1those batteries must only be counted once and may not be
2counted by more than one battery stewardship organization.
3    (c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of
4this Section, with respect to each facility used in the
5processing or disposition of batteries collected under the
6program, the battery stewardship organization must report:
7        (1) Whether the facility is located domestically, in
8    an organization for economic cooperation and development
9    country, or in a country that meets organization for
10    economic cooperation and development operating standards;
11    and
12        (2) What facilities processed the batteries, and for
13    domestic facilities a summary of any violations of
14    environmental laws and regulations over the previous 3
15    years at each facility.
16    (d) If a battery stewardship organization has disposed of
17covered batteries through energy recovery, incineration, or
18landfilling during the preceding calendar year of program
19implementation, the annual report must specify the steps that
20the battery stewardship organization will take to make the
21recycling of covered batteries cost-effective, where possible,
22or to otherwise increase battery recycling rates achieved by
23the battery stewardship organization.
24    (e) A producer or battery stewardship organization that
25submits information or records to the Agency under this Act
26may request that the information or records be made available

 

 

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1only for the confidential use of the Agency, the Director of
2the Agency, or the appropriate division of the Agency. The
3Director of the Agency must consider the request and if this
4action is not detrimental to the public interest and is
5otherwise in accordance with the policies and purposes of the
6Freedom of Information Act, the Director must grant the
7request for the information to remain confidential as
8authorized in the Freedom of Information Act.
 
9    Section 65. Fee and agency role.
10    (a) The Agency shall be paid an annual fee of $50,000 by
11one or more battery stewardship organizations, with cost
12allocation between multiple battery stewardship organizations
13to be assigned proportional to each organization's share of
14program costs. The fee shall cover the Agency's full costs of
15implementing, administering, and enforcing this Act. The
16annual fee shall be deposited into the Solid Waste Management
17Fund to be used for costs associated with the administration
18of this Act.
19    (b) The responsibilities of the Agency in implementing,
20administering, and enforcing this Act include, but are not
21limited to:
22        (1) reviewing submitted stewardship plans and plan
23    amendments and making determinations as to whether to
24    approve the plan or plan amendment;
25            (A) the Agency must provide a letter of approval

 

 

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1        for the plan or plan amendment if it provides for the
2        establishment of a stewardship program that meets the
3        requirements of Sections 25 through 55 of this Act;
4            (B) if a plan or plan amendment is rejected, the
5        Agency must provide the reasons for rejecting the plan
6        to the battery stewardship organization. The battery
7        stewardship organization must submit a new plan within
8        60 days after receipt of the letter of disapproval;
9        and
10            (C) when a plan or an amendment to an approved plan
11        is submitted under this Section, the Agency shall make
12        the proposed plan or amendment available for public
13        review and comment for at least 30 days;
14        (2) reviewing annual reports submitted under Section
15    60 of this Act within 90 days of submission to ensure
16    compliance with that Section;
17        (3) maintaining a website that lists producers and
18    their brands that are participating in an approved plan,
19    and that makes available to the public each plan, plan
20    amendment, and annual report received by the Agency under
21    this Act; upon the date the first plan is approved, the
22    Agency must post on its website a list of producers and
23    their brands for which the Agency has approved a plan; the
24    Agency must update the list of producers and brands
25    participating under an approved program plan based on
26    information provided to the Agency from battery

 

 

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1    stewardship organizations; and
2        (4) providing technical assistance to producers and
3    retailers related to the requirements of this Act and
4    issuing orders or imposing civil penalties authorized
5    under Section 70 of this Act where the technical
6    assistance efforts do not lead to compliance by a producer
7    or retailer.
 
8    Section 70. Penalties and civil action provisions.
9    (a) Any person who violates any provision of this Act is
10liable for a civil penalty of $7,000 per violation, except
11that the failure to pay a fee under this Act shall cause the
12person who fails to pay the fee to be liable for a civil
13penalty that is double the applicable fee.
14    (b) The penalties provided for in this Section may be
15recovered in a civil action brought in the name of the people
16of the State of Illinois by the State's Attorney of the county
17in which the violation occurred or by the Attorney General.
18Any penalties collected under this Section in an action in
19which the Attorney General has prevailed shall be deposited
20into the Environmental Protection Trust Fund, to be used in
21accordance with the provision of the Environmental Protection
22Trust Fund Act.
23    (c) The Attorney General or the State's Attorney of a
24county in which a violation occurs may institute a civil
25action for an injunction, prohibitory or mandatory, to

 

 

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1restrain violations of this Act or to require such actions as
2may be necessary to address violations of this Act.
3    (d) The penalties and injunctions provided in this Act are
4in addition to any penalties, injunctions, or other relief
5provided under any other State law. Nothing in this Act bars a
6cause of action by the State for any other penalty,
7injunction, or other relief provided by any other law.
8    (e) Any person who knowingly makes a false, fictitious, or
9fraudulent material statement, orally or in writing, to the
10Agency, related to or required by this Act or any rule adopted
11under this Act commits a Class 4 felony, and each such
12statement or writing shall be considered a separate Class 4
13felony. A person who, after being convicted under this
14subsection, violates this subsection a second or subsequent
15time commits a Class 3 felony.
16    (f) No penalty may be assessed on an individual or
17resident for the improper disposal of covered batteries as
18described in Section 80 of this Act in a noncommercial or
19residential setting.
 
20    Section 75. Marking requirements for batteries.
21    (a) Beginning January 1, 2027, a producer or retailer may
22only sell, distribute, or offer for sale in or into Illinois a
23large format battery, covered battery, or battery-containing
24product that contains a battery that is designed or intended
25to be easily removable from the product, if the battery is:

 

 

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1        (1) marked with an identification of the producer of
2    the battery, unless the battery is less than one-half inch
3    in diameter or does not contain a surface whose length
4    exceeds one-half inch; and
5        (2) beginning January 1, 2029, marked with proper
6    labeling to ensure proper collection and recycling, by
7    identifying the chemistry of the battery and including an
8    indication that the battery should not be disposed of as
9    household waste.
10    (b) A producer shall certify to its customers, or to the
11retailer if the retailer is not the customer, that the
12requirements of this Section have been met, as provided in
13Section 60 of this Act.
14    (c) The Agency may amend, by rule, the requirements of
15subsection (a) of this Section to maintain consistency with
16the labeling requirements or voluntary standards for batteries
17established in federal law.
 
18    Section 80. General battery disposal and collection
19requirements. Effective January 1, 2026, for portable
20batteries and January 1, 2028, for medium format batteries, or
21the first date on which an approved plan begins to be
22implemented under this Act by a battery stewardship
23organization, whichever comes first:
24    (1) All persons must dispose of unwanted covered batteries
25    through one of the following disposal options:

 

 

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1        (A) disposal using the collection sites established by
2        or included in the programs created by this Act; or
3        (B) for covered batteries generated by persons that
4        are regulated generators of covered batteries under
5        federal or state hazardous or solid waste laws,
6        disposal in a manner consistent with the requirements
7        of those laws.
8    (2) A fee may not be charged at the time unwanted covered
9    batteries are delivered or collected for management. All
10    covered batteries may only be collected, transported, and
11    processed in a manner that meets the standards established
12    for a battery stewardship organization in a plan approved
13    by the Agency, unless the batteries are being managed as
14    described in paragraph (1), subparagraph (B) of this
15    Section.
16    (3) A person may not place covered batteries in waste
17    containers for disposal at incinerators, waste to energy
18    facilities, or landfills.
19    (4) A person may not place covered batteries in or on a
20    container for mixed recyclables unless there is a separate
21    location or compartment for the covered battery that
22    complies with local government collection standards or
23    guidelines.
24    (5) An owner or operator of a solid waste facility may not
25    be found in violation of this Section if the facility has
26    posted in a conspicuous location a sign stating that

 

 

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1    covered batteries must be managed through collection sites
2    established by a battery stewardship organization and are
3    not accepted for disposal.
4    (6) A solid waste collector may not be found in violation
5    of this Section for a covered battery placed in a disposal
6    container by the generator of the covered battery.
 
7    Section 85. Assessment of battery; containing products and
8their batteries.
9    (a) By July 1, 2027, the battery stewardship organization
10must complete an assessment of the opportunities and
11challenges associated with the end-of-life management of
12batteries not intended or designed to be easily removed by a
13customer that are contained in battery-containing products,
14including medical devices, and in electronic products that are
15not covered electronic products managed under an approved plan
16implemented under the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act.
17    (b) The battery stewardship organization must consult with
18the Agency and interested stakeholders in completing the
19assessment. The assessment must identify any adjustments to
20the stewardship program requirements established in this Act
21that would maximize public health, safety, and environmental
22benefits.
23    (c) The assessment must consider:
24        (1) the different categories and uses of
25    battery-containing products;

 

 

HB5348- 40 -LRB103 39024 BDA 69161 b

1        (2) the current methods by which unwanted
2    battery-containing products are managed in Illinois and
3    nearby states and provinces;
4        (3) challenges posed by the potential collection,
5    management, and transport of battery-containing products,
6    including challenges associated with removing batteries
7    that were not intended or designed to be easily removable
8    from products, other than by the manufacturer; and
9        (4) which criteria of this Act may apply to
10    battery-containing products in a manner that is identical
11    or analogous to the requirements applicable to covered
12    batteries.
13    (d) By October 1, 2027, the Agency must submit a report to
14the General Assembly containing the findings of the assessment
15required in this Section.
 
16    Section 90. Antitrust. Producers or battery stewardship
17organizations Acting on behalf of producers that prepare,
18submit, and implement a battery stewardship program plan under
19this Act and who are thereby subject to regulation by the
20Agency are granted immunity from State laws relating to
21antitrust, restraint of trade, unfair trade practices, and
22other regulation of trade and commerce, for the limited
23purpose of planning, reporting, and operating a battery
24stewardship program, including:
25    (1) The creation, implementation, or management of a

 

 

HB5348- 41 -LRB103 39024 BDA 69161 b

1battery stewardship organization and any battery stewardship
2plan regardless of whether it is submitted, denied, or
3approved;
4    (2) The determination of the cost and structure of a
5battery stewardship plan; and
6    (3) The types or quantities of batteries being recycled or
7otherwise managed under this Act.
 
8    Section 95. Collection of batteries independent of a
9battery stewardship program. Nothing in this Act shall prevent
10or prohibit a person from offering or performing a fee-based,
11household collection, or a mail-back program for end-of-life
12portable batteries or medium format batteries independently of
13a battery stewardship program, provided that such person meets
14the following requirements:
15        (1) Such person's services must be performed, and such
16    person's facilities must be operated in compliance with
17    all applicable federal, state, and local laws and
18    requirements, including, but not limited to, all
19    applicable U.S. Department of Transportation regulations,
20    and all applicable provisions of the Illinois
21    Environmental Protection Act;
22        (2) Such person must make available all batteries
23    collected by such person from its Illinois customers to
24    the battery stewardship organization; and
25        (3) After consolidation of portable or medium format

 

 

HB5348- 42 -LRB103 39024 BDA 69161 b

1    batteries at the person's facilities, the costs for
2    transporting such batteries to the battery stewardship
3    organization's designated sorters or processors shall be
4    at the battery stewardship organization's expense.
 
5    Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are
6severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
 
7    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8becoming law.