"New Batteries Directive" could force Apple to ship European iPhone with removable battery

The problem with iPods and Apple's new iPhone is that they don't have removable batteries, meaning that effective disposal of the devices could be at best difficult, with the batteries posing a risk to the environment. As a result, a new European Union directive is being discussed to ensure that the batteries in gadgets must be easily removable prior to the device being disposed of.

Though Apple does offer a free recycling service for its products when they reach the end of their life, many argue that this is not enough, since it doesn't allow consumers to remove the batteries themselves.

As with most EU legislation, there's a lot of red tape and bureaucracy to get through before anything changes. Don't expect to see user-replaceable power packs on iPods and iPhones any time soon.

I'd never thought of how potentially damaging this could be, especially considering how few customers probably take advantage of Apple's free recycling scheme. I hope the directive passes - as long as it does really make it more likely for the batteries to be recycled, rather than for more to be produced and left lying about.