Linkohr (PSE). – (DE) Madam President, I have to admit that before I entered the European Parliament I was involved with nickel-cadmium batteries for ten years. We even built a factory and I took out a number of patents, which have now expired. I therefore have no economic interests to register. I also have to admit that at the time we did not give much thought to what was to be done with the things later. I therefore believe we are right to be looking at how such batteries can be recycled.

I would advise you not to ban things, however, but to introduce alternatives more quickly, and such alternatives exist in theory. Small fuel cells may easily come on the market this year or next and they contain no heavy metals. They also come from the same firms as make nickel-cadmium batteries, at any rate many have experience with them, and that would be my recommendation, instead of rushing straight to a ban.