Problems of implementing the organizational and legal mechanism for regulating the turnover of batteries and accumulators in Russia

Against the backdrop of the problem of electronic waste, which is projected to exceed 65 million tons in 2025, the issue of disposing of chemical power sources containing highly toxic substances becomes especially acute. In Russia, 100–150 thousand tons of used batteries are generated annually; however, the level of their collection and recycling does not exceed 3–5%. Despite the obvious danger, the legal regime for the management of used batteries remains fragmented and is considered a peripheral element of the waste management system, lacking comprehensive legislative support. In the current Federal Law "On Production and Consumption Waste," batteries and accumulators are not classified as a separate category of waste with a special legal status, but are treated as waste of classes I–IV of hazard depending on their chemical composition, alongside other types of solid municipal waste. The author analyzes the general and specific requirements of legislation, as well as established recycling standards and licensing requirements, resulting in the identification of key legal gaps in this area. These include the lack of a separate classification for batteries, the fragmentation of collection infrastructure that primarily covers large cities, low public awareness, and the ineffectiveness of administrative liability mechanisms. The conclusion is drawn on the need to improve legal regulation in this area, including the introduction of mandatory separate collection for citizens, the development of federal infrastructure for free and commercial collection of used power sources, and the strengthening of the state's control functions through authorized bodies. Despite the existence of specific norms regulating the handling of used power sources, domestic legislation lacks a comprehensive approach to their legal regulation. Batteries and accumulators are not distinguished by an independent legal regime and are considered within the general array of waste of classes I–IV of hazard. The absence of imperative norms requiring citizens to engage in separate collection undermines their specificity as a highly toxic consumer product, resulting in the overwhelming majority of batteries continuing to be disposed of in landfills as part of municipal solid waste.