In China, the Restriction on Mercury Content in Battery Products was jointly promulgated by the nine ministries and commissions at the end of 1997, thereinto stipulating that:  

(1) the production of battery, which has a mercury content more than 0.025% by weight, is prohibited from January 1st 2001; and
(2) from January 1st 2001 on, all the batteries entering the domestic market (home-made and imported), including those incorporated into appliances, should be clearly marked with the mercury content (“Low-mercury” or “Mercury-free”, etc.), or else the placing on the market would be prohibited; and
(3) from January 1st 2002 on, selling and distribution on batteries, which have a mercury content more than 0.025% by weight, are prohibited; and
(4) the production of alkaline Zn/MnO2 battery, which has a mercury content more than 0.0001% by weight, is prohibited from January 1st 2005; and
(5) the selling and distribution on alkaline Zn/MnO2 batteries, which have a mercury content more than 0.0001% by weight, is prohibited from January 1st 2006.

Pollution caused by battery has been taken seriously since very early time at abroad. Many countries and regions restrict or prohibit the use of environmental-polluted batteries and regular the treatment of waste batteries by Law. Nowadays, Most of the countries have stopped the manufacturing of mercury-containing batteries; (alkaline) zinc manganese batteries applied in the developed countries are mercury-free; the production of Cd/Ni battery is reduced in yield year by year, while the MH/Ni battery is get development correspondingly; collection and treatment of waste lithium-ion battery have been carried out progressively as well. 

To promote the countries /regions’ performance on waste battery collection and treatment, the International Conference on the Collection and Treatment of Waste Battery is held annually. A new century with “green battery” is approaching.