ACCC works with industry to improve button battery safety

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recently held a meeting with button battery manufacturers, importers, retailers and industry associations to discuss improvements to button battery safety.

“The ACCC has been concerned about the number of severe injuries to children from lithium coin cell batteries over recent times. The recent tragic death of a young girl in Queensland heightened the importance of improving the safety management of these batteries and products that incorporate them,” ACCC Acting Chair Delia Rickard said.

Industry attendees agreed to: immediately strengthen consumer education activities, including support for The Battery Controlled campaign (an existing ACCC and Kidsafe industry initiative); improve the warnings on the packaging for lithium coin cell batteries supplied to consumers; introduce child-resistant packaging for these batteries as quickly as practicable; work with suppliers of devices that use these batteries to improve warnings and designs to prevent children accessing these batteries from the device, and continue efforts to develop safer battery designs.

“Attendees recognised the importance of an internationally consistent approach given the global nature of the industry. The meeting noted that several international industry standards would soon include button battery requirements and those could then be adopted in Australia. The ACCC will continue to work with international agencies on this important safety concern,” Rickard said.

Attendees will provide the ACCC with written commitments and detailed plans on the agreed safety improvements. The ACCC will monitor progress and consider whether further action is required to improve the safety of button batteries.