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Florida Statute 403.7192
requires that manufacturers and marketers of rechargeable battery and rechargeable battery powered products sold
in Florida implement a unit management system. The unit management system should clearly inform consumers of the
disposal prohibition, ensure batteries and products are labeled to show electrolyte and disposal options, and
provide a program to properly collect, transport, and recycle or dispose of the batteries and products (see the
1997 Memorandum
or the
Requirement Spreadsheet).
If the manufacturers and marketers fail to comply they are not allowed to sell their batteries and products in
Florida. Batteries and battery powered products subject to this requirement are limited to nickel-cadmium and
small sealed lead-acid rechargeable batteries weighing less than 25 pounds and not used exclusively for memory
backup, as well as mercuric oxide non-rechargeable batteries.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has contacted rechargeable battery and battery product
manufacturers several times over a three year period regarding compliance with the law. On October 4, 2000 the
corporate headquarters of
rechargeable batteries and rechargeable products retailers
received a
letter
from the Department recognizing the nearly
400 rechargeable battery manufacturers and marketers that have complied
with Florida’s requirements and identifying those
30-40 companies that have not yet complied
or contacted the Department about their status.
The companies have complied with either their own unit management programs or have elected to comply as part
of a national collection and recycling program funded and run by the rechargeable battery industry's nonprofit
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation
(RBRC). The RBRC program currently maintains more than 1,800 collection sites in Florida with more than 20,000
nationwide and in Canada at most businesses that sell rechargeable batteries and products. Nearly 30% of
rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries discarded annually in Florida are recycled through RBRC collection sites.
In January of 2001, RBRC will begin accepting three other major types of rechargeable batteries at
established collections sites: sealed lead acid, nickel metal hydride, and lithium ion.
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