North American Lead Recyclers and NGOs Provide Input to CEC SLABs report
Montreal, 18 June 2012—Lead-acid battery recyclers, trade associations, community groups and nongovernmental organizations have responded to the call for comments on the research questions and key focus of the independent report being conducted by the Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) concerning the transboundary movement and recycling of spent lead-acid batteries (SLABs) in North America.
On 8 February 2012, the CEC Secretariat announced that it had begun an examination into the environmental hazards and public and community health issues associated with the transboundary movement and recycling of SLABs in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
As of June 15, eight submissions were received and are now available for review on the Secretariat’s website: www.cec.org/slabs. Submissions range from company-specific perspectives on the structure and economics of the North American battery recycling industry, to analysis of Mexico’s legal and enforcement regime concerning the import and recycling of SLABS, to suggested recommendations to improve the environmental management in this sector.
The Secretariat thanks all submitters for their considered input, analysis, and opinions. Together with a continuing dialogue with stakeholders, citizens and officials, such information will enhance the quality and relevance of this study and report. It is anticipated that a discussion paper, encompassing key findings and preliminary policy recommendations will be circulated later this summer and will inform subsequent stakeholder and public discussion.
To review or download these submissions, or to read more about the CEC Secretariat report, visit the CEC website. To keep up-to-date with the latest information on this topic and other CEC activities follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the CEC
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was established in 1994 by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States through the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, a parallel environmental agreement to NAFTA. As of 2020, the CEC is recognized and maintained by the Environmental Cooperation Agreement, in parallel with the new Free Trade Agreement of North America. The CEC brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including the general public, Indigenous people, youth, nongovernmental organizations, academia, and the business sector, to seek solutions to protect North America’s shared environment while supporting sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations
The CEC is governed and funded equally by the Government of Canada through Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Government of the United States of Mexico through the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, and the Government of the United States of America through the Environmental Protection Agency.