Australia’s battery stewardship system is entering a more complex and regulated phase, with the Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) establishing a new B-cycle Battery Advisory Panel to help guide the Scheme through its next stage of growth and reform.
Bringing together leaders from across the battery value chain, the Panel will provide strategic insight, sector intelligence and practical advice as BSC strengthens Scheme performance and prepares for a more rigorous national stewardship framework. The inaugural meeting was held on 21 April 2026.
BSC CEO Libby Chaplin said the establishment of the Advisory Panel reflects the organisation’s commitment to Scheme maturity, strong governance and regulatory readiness.
“This Advisory Panel strengthens BSC’s strategic capability and ensures the Scheme continues to be informed by practical expertise from across the battery ecosystem, while supporting readiness for more comprehensive stewardship arrangements in Australia.
“BSC benefits from a high level of engagement across industry and stakeholders. The Advisory Panel builds on this, bringing together diverse perspectives from across the battery value chain and broader community to support more effective stewardship outcomes.”
BSC CEO Libby Chaplin said BBAP would strengthen BSC’s ability to respond to a rapidly changing environment.
“B-cycle has established important national foundations, but the operating context is shifting quickly. As policy settings evolve and market complexity increases, our governance and advisory structures must evolve with them.
“BBAP will bring valuable insight from across the battery value chain to inform the strategic, operational and market considerations shaping the Scheme’s next phase.”
Bronwyn Voyce, Director of Futures Foundry and Chair of BBAP said Australia had reached a decisive moment for battery stewardship.
“Battery stewardship is at a turning point. We need materially greater recovery of end-of-life batteries, alongside the governance, market settings and cross-sector collaboration required to deliver this at scale.
“This is not just an environmental challenge, but a national productivity challenge – reducing hazardous waste to landfill and mitigating fire risk, recovering value from critical materials, and building sovereign capability through a more resilient and competitive economy.
“At the inaugural meeting of the BBAP last week, industry leaders from across the value chain provided practical and value-added insights that will support BSC as the Scheme evolves and help drive a harmonised and cost-effective national approach.”
Since launching in 2022, B-cycle has collected $70,258,924 in levies, supported the recovery of 12,139 tonnes of batteries, and facilitated the collection of 505,783,963 equivalent battery units (EBU)* – including an estimated 137,218,111 lithium-ion EBU’s that may otherwise have posed a significant fire risk.
These results, made possible by the engagement of accredited Participants and the strong commitment from leading Importers and Retailers, have established B-cycle as Australia’s leading national battery stewardship platform. Today, 94.8% of Australians live within 15 minutes of one of 6,069 Drop off points nationwide.
The Advisory Panel will provide a forum to navigate sector complexity, identify risks and opportunities, and strengthen collaboration across the stewardship ecosystem.
The inaugural members of the B-cycle Battery Advisory Panel are:
- Jason Hill, Australian Battery Industry Association (ABIA)/Century Yuasa
- Michael Dudley, ReSource
- Conor Macgill, Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA)
- James Rayner, Makita Australia
- Ryan Hammond, Sealed Performance Batteries (SPB)
- Shaun Tang, SPC eCycle
- Steven Marshall, Livium Corp
- Brett Lemin, Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association (WCRA) NSW
- Barish Ozdemir, Power Shield
- Emilia Peters, Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR)
- Morgan Parker, Sell & Parker
- Pamela Mikschofsky, ALDI
- Evelyn Soud, Consumer Electronics Suppliers Association (CESA)
- Matt Fulford, Battery World franchisee
- Councillor Lenore Wyatt, Mareeba Shire Council
- Luke Stephens, Fire Rescue Victoria (observer).
The establishment of BBAP comes ahead of mandatory battery stewardship laws commencing in New South Wales on 1 October 2026 under the NSW Product Lifecycle Responsibility Regulation 2026.
These reforms represent a shift from a largely voluntary system to a more accountable producer responsibility model, with clearer obligations, a more level playing field and stronger conditions for investment. They also set an important precedent for national harmonisation.
BSC encourages any battery supplier not yet participating in the Scheme to contact BSC to understand the new framework, likely compliance obligations and steps required to prepare for mandatory stewardship.
*An equivalent battery unit (EBU) is a battery weighing 24 grams and is the equivalent of a standard AA battery
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