Crossed-out bin on a battery, with Cd, Pb or Hg

The battery must go to separate battery collection, not in household waste. Cd under the bin means more than 0.002 % cadmium; Pb means more than 0.004 % lead. Hg appeared under the old Directive 2006/66/EC when a battery held more than 0.0005 % mercury.

A mark tells you what the maker declares, never that the product is safe.

What it looks like: The crossed-out wheeled bin printed on a battery, sometimes with the chemical symbol Cd (cadmium) or Pb (lead) under it, taking up at least a quarter of the bin’s area. Older batteries may show Hg (mercury).
Who may apply it: Under the EU Batteries Regulation, from 18 August 2025 all batteries must carry the collection symbol. It must cover at least 3 % of the battery’s largest side (1.5 % on round cells), up to 5 × 5 cm. If it would come out smaller than 0.47 × 0.47 cm, it goes on the packaging instead, at least 1 × 1 cm.

What it does not promise

No letters under the bin does not mean no hazardous substances. Cd and Pb are only printed above those limits, and mercury above 0.0005 % is banned outright. From 18 August 2026 (or 18 months after the Commission’s implementing act, whichever is later) the battery label must also list hazardous substances other than mercury, cadmium or lead.

Other marks with the same shapes

CE markingConformity mark UKCA markingConformity mark UKNI markingConformity mark III in a diamond (Class III, safety extra-low voltage)IEC 60417-5180 Crossed-out wheeled bin (WEEE)A wheeled rubbish bin with a lid, crossed out by two…Crossed-out bin with a bar under itThe crossed-out wheeled bin with a solid black bar under it.Roman numeral on a power supply (efficiency level, e.g. VI)A Roman numeral from I to VII, often VI, on the power…

Sources

Each page below was fetched and read on the date shown. Where a symbol’s IEC 60417 or ISO 7000 number is given, a public page listing that number is among them.

EUR-Lex (Official Journal of the EU): Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 concerning batteries and waste batteries — Article 13 and Annex VI — Article 13(4): from 18 August 2025 all batteries marked with the separate collection symbol, at least 3 % (1,5 % for cylindrical cells) up to 5 × 5 cm, packaging if under 0,47 × 0,47 cm; 13(5): Cd over 0,002 %, Pb over 0,004 %, printed beneath and at least one quarter the size; Annex I: mercury limit 0,0005 %; Annex VI Part A: hazardous substances other than mercury, cadmium or lead. Checked 2026-09-24.
EUR-Lex (Official Journal of the EU): Directive 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators (repealed from 18 August 2025) — Article 21 — Article 21(3): batteries “containing more than 0,0005 % mercury, more than 0,002 % cadmium or more than 0,004 % lead, shall be marked with the chemical symbol for the metal concerned: Hg, Cd or Pb”. Checked 2026-09-24.

Written in our own words; quotations are the sources’ wording.