Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed a battery recycling law sponsored by State Rep. Sharon Chung of Bloomington and State Sen. Dave Koehler of Peoria.
Under the law, battery sellers or distributors will have to develop a recycling stewardship program for small- to medium-sized batteries by 2026. Medium-sized batteries include those made for electric bikes and scooters.
Batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel.
“These chemicals can cause significant harm to our environment if we do not act properly,” said Koehler, who like Chung, is a Democrat. “Mitigating these risks needs to be a top priority. This law will give residents access to recycling centers and ensure battery distributors are taking responsible measures to address the potential harm from these products.”
There also will have to be recycling labels attached to all batteries by 2029.
The measure is similar to other required recycling programs in Illinois, funded by producers of goods being recycled, such as the one for paint disposal.
