On May 28, 2021, Exempt Resolution No. 310, dated April 16, 2021 of the Ministry of the Environment was published in the Official Gazette. By means of such resolution, the Ministry of the Environment initiates the process of drafting the Supreme Decree that will set forth collection and recovery goals and other related obligations for batteries and electrical and electronic devices.

Regulated priority products: "Batteries" and "Electrical and Electronic devices".

For purposes of this process, “Batteries” means, preliminarily, any source of electrical energy obtained by direct transformation of chemical energy and consisting of one or more elements, including rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries.

“Electrical and electronic devices” shall be understood, preliminarily, to mean all devices which, in order to function properly, require electric current or electromagnetic fields, as well as the devices necessary to generate, transmit and measure such currents and fields.

Reception of documents.

Any person or entity is entitled to submit before the Ministry of the Environment information to be considered for the drafting of the Supreme Decree. The aforementioned resolution sets forth a 20 business-day term (i.e., until June 25, 2021) to file technical economic, and social background information on the matter to be regulated.

Operative Committee.

The Ministry of the Environment will call for applications to be part of an Operative Committee, which shall include of representatives of the Ministries of the Environment and Health; associations of municipalities; producers of batteries or electrical and electronic devices proposed by trade associations; producers that constitute smaller companies; waste managers; consumers; recyclers; an NGO; marketers and distributors of said products; and a professional expert nominated by the Autonomous Universities.

The Committee will have a 5 months term to issue a draft version of the Supreme Decree.