Karsten Kurz
Bio
After Karsten graduated as an engineer for Environmental Technologies and Industrial Hygiene, he started working as the EHS Manager for Accumulatorenfabrik Sonnenschein – a German manufacturer of a lead- and lithium based batteries.
Over the years, he gained experience in EHS Management Systems, EHS compliance and Blood Lead Mitigation Programs as well as Environmental Remediation.
In 1995, Exide came into play. Not only that Karsten could extent his scope to Europe, the more important was that Exide was able to provide the complete service – manufacturing and recycling of batteries of various technologies.
Since the early 2000’s Karsten served as EHS Director for Exide in Europe and started representing his company in EHS and Sustainability working groups of several European Industry Associations such as EUROBATand the ILA. At this time, Karsten was already a stakeholder in the process to develop the old Battery Directive.
In his current position as Director CSR and Governmental Relations, he oversees the engagement of Exide in the Stakeholder Advocacy Programs. Preparing Exide to comply with the new EU Battery Regulation became the key responsibility since it was first published.
Karsten is member to the Steering Committee of the Lead REACH Consortium, the Executive Committee of the ILA and chairs the EHS cluster of EUROBAT.
The EU Battery Regulation is the first holistic piece of product regulation published under the Green Deal initiative of the European Commission. A key element is the allocation of the extended producer responsibility for batteries to the producer. Hence, it is essential to know the roles economic operators in the battery value chain play. The complex definitions of the Battery Regulation meet the complex value chain of batteries; the European battery industries associations joined forces in developing guidance on the understanding of key elements of the Regulation.
