The Chilean Ministry of the Environment has launched a public consultation period to establish clear regulatory requirements for electric vehicle battery management. The initiative aims to define the specific obligations of importers regarding the collection and recovery of lithium batteries once they reach the end of their functional life.
This regulatory push builds upon the 2016 Law 20.920, known as the Extended Producer Responsibility (REP) law. The legislation mandates that companies introducing products into the Chilean market must take responsibility for their disposal and environmental impact.
Addressing the battery disposal challenge
Chile’s shift toward electromobility has accelerated, with the Agency for Energy Sustainability reporting more than 14,000 light electric vehicles currently on the road. The National Automotive Association (ANAC) projects that this fleet will grow by another 12,000 units in the near future.
While the rise in electric vehicles aligns with global trends toward energy efficiency, it creates an immediate need for infrastructure to handle spent batteries. The proposed decree, open for public feedback until April 9, aims to integrate these disposal requirements into the existing legal framework.
Advocates for circular economy practices argue that government policy must move beyond basic norms to encourage practical, scalable solutions. REBATVE, an organization specializing in battery repurposing, maintains that these units can serve a secondary purpose in stationary power systems.
By repurposing these batteries, companies can potentially reduce waste while strengthening the national energy grid. Industry participants assert that a robust regulatory framework must leverage these existing capabilities to ensure the REP law functions effectively in practice.
Participation in the current consultation process is open to all stakeholders. Officials emphasize that the success of these environmental policies depends on the active involvement of both the private sector and the broader public to ensure that regulations translate into verifiable, sustainable outcomes.
