The agreement with the Société Nouvelle d’Affinage des Métaux (SNAM) will run from 2011 to 2014.

Toyota has sold some 370,000 Toyota and Lexus full-hybrid vehicles in Europe since 2000, all of them equipped with NiMH batteries. Under the agreement, SNAM will ensure that the batteries will be processed optimally to ensure maximum output on secondary raw materials.

The agreement also ensures that recovered batteries can be taken back from any of Toyota’s European operations, including its head office in Belgium, any of its nine manufacturing facilities in seven countries, any of its dealerships, and any authorized end-of-life vehicle treatment operator.

Toyota said that its approach will conform with the European Commissions’ Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe and meets the highest environmental, safety standard and social expectations. The framework agreement with SNAM complies with all requirements set out by the European Union’s battery directive, and SNAM will provide all required documentation to Toyota to ensure accurate and timely reporting to national authorities in accordance with the directive.