Environmental Standards for Lead Battery Plants

Better Environmental Sustainability Targets (BEST) Certification For Lead Battery Manufacturing Program Update July 2007

Background

Previously, our international partnership launched a multi-stakeholder process to set environmental certification standards to specify emission limits and a system to take back used lead batteries for environmentally sound recycling. Support for this effort has remained consistent throughout the five meetings that had broad participation from key stakeholders. The stakeholder process concluded with a consensus to forward the BEST Standard for public comment.

Currently we are focused on distributing the BEST Standard to a wider audience to encourage comments and input from stakeholders beyond those who have participated to date. This comment period is also being used to increase the awareness of the standard among lead battery companies and major battery purchasers. We recently conducted two national meetings are being planned in coordination with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, the Quality Council of India, and other organizations.

We anticipate launching the certification program in India by the end of 2007. The attached schedule indicates key milestones anticipated over the next year.

Performance Measures

As requested in our grant agreement, we have updated the list of performance measures that are relevant to the progress of the project. Specifically, our suggested parameters are outlined below:

Stakeholder Engagement:

The attendance and participation of key sectors throughout the five multi-stakeholder meetings remained relatively consistent.

Standard Development:

We have completed the draft BEST Standard and are now within the final 60 day comment period to obtain feedback on the document. The final version will be released in September 2007. This process follows the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling (ISEAL) Alliance, Code of Good Practices.

Awareness Building:

We anticipate additional meetings and outreach to increase the awareness of this program among Indian battery companies, bulk consumers, government, and the public.

Certification:

We have made additional progress at preparing the BEST governance documents, copyrights, eco-label design, and other materials necessary to launch the certification program.

Other Program Accomplishments:

• Reached consensus among all stakeholders on the BEST Standard for certifying lead battery companies;

• Established partnership with NGOs, major battery companies, and bulk purchasers; and

• The partnership was selected as a SEEDs Award finalist -- having been recognized as one of the world’s top entrepreneurial projects for sustainable development.