Australia New South Wales Promulgates Product Lifecycle Responsibility Regulation 2026, Targeting Batteries

Australia EPR Circular Economy Wastes (Products) Batteries
14 April 2026  AOKI Kenji  AOKI Kenji (EnviX, Ltd.)
New South Wales Promulgates Product Lifecycle Responsibility Regulation 2026, Targeting Batteries

On February 20, 2026, the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) promulgated the Product Lifecycle Responsibility Regulation 2026. This regulation implements the Product Lifecycle Responsibility Act 2025 and is scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2026. The primary focus of the regulation is batteries; brand owners—defined as those who supply products to the market—are required to join a Product Stewardship Organisation (PSO). Both brand owners and PSOs must publish action plans and reports demonstrating how they meet regulatory requirements.

 

Regulated Batteries

The batteries subject to this regulation include:

  • The following battery sizes:
    • AAA,
    • AA,
    • C,
    • D,
    • 9 volt,
    • 6 volt lantern,
  • a button battery or button cell battery,
  • a removable rechargeable battery weighing 5 kg or less,
  • a rechargeable battery used to power an e-micromobility device (if it it is not practicable to remove a regulated battery from an e-micromobility device, the e-micromobility device is taken to be a regulated battery),
  • a portable power bank weighing 5 kg or less.

 

The following are excluded from the regulation:

  • lead-acid batteries,
  • mobile phone batteries,
  • laptop or tablet batteries,
  • back-up batteries incorporated in emergency lighting systems.

 

Obligations for Brand Owners

Brand owners supplying batteries to NSW must join a designated PSO. Under Schedule 2, the brand owner or PSO must publish an action plan and reports containing the information below. These plans require approval from the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

Action Plan:

  • measures to prevent battery litter,
  • procedures to ensure the collection, recycling, and disposal of batteries and their components are conducted in an environmentally safe manner,
  • details regarding battery collection points,
  • protocols for safely and effectively managing non-battery items left at collection points,
  • explanations of how consumers will be informed about collection and recycling schemes,
  • a description of the financial viability of the collection and recycling schemes,
  • methods for supporting battery recycling within Australia,
  • compliance strategies: if submitted by a PSO, how it ensures the brand owner complies with Section 12 of the Act,
  • lf submitted by a brand owner, how they will comply personally.
Annual Report:

  • information on batteries supplied in the state during the fiscal year, including:
    • the total number of batteries supplied,
    • the total weight of batteries supplied,
    • the number of batteries of each battery chemistry type supplied,
    • the weight of batteries of each battery chemistry type supplied
  • the way consumers are informed about the safe disposal and recycling of regulated batteries,
  • the reporting body’s achievements against the body’s action plan under this regulation, section 16.
Quarterly Report:

  • if, in the previous quarter, there has been a material change in the PSO’s ability to comply with the stewardship administration agreement to which the PSO is a party—the details of the change,
  • the details of all battery fires at collection points in the previous quarter, including the following for each fire:
    • the location of the collection point,
    • the date, and time of the fire,
    • the cause, or suspected cause, of the fire,
    • details of emergency services responses to the fire
  • the revenue generated by the PSO in connection with the regulated battery product stewardship scheme,
  • the expenditure of the PSO in connection with the regulated battery product stewardship scheme on the following—
    • educating the public,
    • collecting and storing regulated batteries,
    • recycling regulated batteries,
    • administration of the scheme,
  • the PSO’s current financial position, including a summary of the following—
    • assets and liabilities,
    • income and expenditure for the previous quarter.

 

 

Product Lifecycle Responsibility Act 2025

Promulgated on April 9, 2025, this Act establishes a product stewardship framework for brand owners of specified products. When a product is regulated under this Act, brand owners or PSOs must:

  • meet product stewardship requirements and/or targets
  • prepare an action plan, submitted in an approved form and approved by the EPA before a regulated product is supplied in or into NSW
  • notify the EPA or relevant product stewardship organisation before they first supply
  • provide an annual report to the EPA, using an approved form
  • prepare, store and make certain records available to the EPA on request
  • comply with directions from the EPA, including a stop notice or request for an independent audit of their records
  • provide a financial assurance to secure or guarantee funding for implementing actions needed to meet product stewardship requirements or targets.

 

 

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Author / Responsibility

AOKI Kenji

Senior Consultant, EnviX Ltd.
General Director, E&H Consulting Co., Ltd.

Business Performance

Expertise in EHS (environment, health and safety) consulting in ASEAN region.
- Environmental regulations updating
- Chemical regulations consulting

Background

MSc in Earth Science, The University of Tokyo

AOKI Kenji