Federal government cracking down on batteries!

[IMA SOL MAN]

Making Families Safer from Button Cell or Coin Battery Dangers; Reese’s Law Leads to New Federal Mandatory Safety Standard

Making Families Safer from Button Cell or Coin Battery Dangers; Reese’s Law Leads to New Federal Mandatory Safety Standard

www.cpsc.gov

Making Families Safer from Button Cell or Coin Battery Dangers; Reese's Law Leads to New Federal Mandatory Safety Standard

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Release Date: September 11, 2023



WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted to approve a mandatory standard to reduce button cell and coin battery ingestion hazards to children six years and younger. These batteries are used in many types of consumer products from keyless entry remotes and wireless game controllers to toys and musical greeting cards. Pursuant to Reese's Law, CPSC voted to adopt the voluntary standard, ANSI/UL 4200A-2023 Standard for Safety for Products Incorporating Button Batteries or Coin Cell Batteries, as the mandatory consumer product safety rule for consumer products containing button cell or coin batteries. The Commission also established labeling requirements for button cell or coin battery packaging, to warn of the ingestion hazard to children.
Protecting Children
The stakes are high and the consequences of a child swallowing a button cell or coin battery can be immediate and deadly. These tiny batteries can burn through a child's throat or esophagus in as little as two hours if swallowed. From 2011 through 2021, CPSC is aware of 27 deaths and an estimated 54,300 injuries treated in emergency rooms associated with ingested or inserted button cell or coin batteries.
Reese's Law & ANSI/UL 4200A-2023
Reese's Law, enacted August 16, 2022, mandates that CPSC implement federal safety requirements for button cell or coin batteries and consumer products containing such batteries. These requirements do not apply to toy products for children under 14 if the products comply with the Toy Standard. Additionally, the law requires that any button cell or coin battery offered for sale, manufactured for sale, imported into the U.S., or included separately with a consumer product, meet the child-resistant packaging requirements in the Poison Prevention Packaging Standards after February 12, 2023. These packaging requirements do not apply to button cell or coin batteries manufactured or imported on or before February 12, 2023.

Consistent with Reese's Law, ANSI/UL 4200A-2023 requires either the use of a tool such as a screwdriver or coin to open the battery compartment, or the application of at least two independent and simultaneous movements to open by hand; additionally, such consumer products must pass a series of performance tests simulating reasonably foreseeable use or misuse. The standard also includes labeling requirements for consumer products containing button cell or coin batteries, and labeling requirements for consumer product packaging.
Safeguard children by taking control of button cell or coin batteries.

• Keep products with accessible batteries away from children if the battery compartments do not have a screw closure to secure them.
• If the battery compartment is damaged, replace the product as soon as possible, repair or dispose of the product.
• Toys with button cell or coin batteries are required to have a secure closure requiring a screwdriver, coin, or tool to open.
• Check the toys in your home to make sure battery compartments are secured.
• Do not allow children to play with or be in contact with button cell or coin batteries.
• Call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline (800-498-8666) or the Poison Help Line (800-222-1222) immediately for treatment information if you suspect a child has swallowed or is exposed to button cell or coin batteries.

Immediately take children who are suspected of having swallowed button cell or coin batteries to the nearest emergency department. The National Capital Poison Center recommends giving honey to children 12+ months on the way to the emergency room to reduce injury in the critical time between ingestion and when the battery can be properly removed. Do not delay going to the emergency room to obtain or give them honey. Give 10mL of honey every 10 minutes only for children 12+ months who have ingested button batteries in the past 12 hours. Do not exceed six doses of honey.

Commissioner Statements:
Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric
Commissioner Peter Feldman
Commissioner Richard Trumka

Release Number
23-283

 

[Kestrel]

Would be more straightforward to just pass a law making it illegal for children to ingest them.

 

[jtr1962]

Maybe it would make more sense to just not make children's toys with coin cells. Have built-in rechargeable batteries instead. Of course, the battery industry would fight that. They probably make most of their money on batteries for children's toys. My former brother-in-law's sister used to spend something like $30 every week for alkaleaks for her children's toys. With battery usage like this, rechargeables would quickly pay for themselves but that's another story entirely. Her brother tried without any luck to get her to use rechargeables.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

I remember taking apart a 3V coin cell when I was a kid. Almost caught my room on fire when it autoignited after exposure to oxygen.

I think I've seen that some manufacturers put a bitter tasting coating on their batteries.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Putting a bitter coating on batteries helps. If they patented it for just Duracell, might keep other brands from doing the same and have a limited impact overall. Putting a warning label for kids too young to read does nothing. Using rechargeables in kids toys is a waste, and if they explode when damaged (lithium ion) is dangerous. Smaller coin and button cell batteries are often used because they can be sealed up in a way that kids can't easily get at the batteries without a screwdriver. Makes it harder for them to swallow.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

My question is, what does honey do to mitigate the damage? Are they thinking that it will coat the cell, and act as a buffer preventing contact with body tissue?

 

[aznsx]

Maybe it would make more sense to just not make children's toys with coin cells

SIZE

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Putting a bitter coating on batteries helps. If they patented it for just Duracell, might keep other brands from doing the same and have a limited impact overall. Putting a warning label for kids too young to read does nothing. Using rechargeables in kids toys is a waste, and if they explode when damaged (lithium ion) is dangerous. Smaller coin and button cell batteries are often used because they can be sealed up in a way that kids can't easily get at the batteries without a screwdriver. Makes it harder for them to swallow.

I think the bitter coating is a good start. As far as making coin cell battery compartments harder to open, this should include a requirement to NOT use a coin-slotted screw. Kids can figure those out really quickly.

 

[jtr1962]

My question is, what does honey do to mitigate the damage? Are they thinking that it will coat the cell, and act as a buffer preventing contact with body tissue?

It sounds like that's exactly what it does. It also helps neutralize the high alkaline levels:

Ingesting Honey After Swallowing Button Battery Reduces Injury and Improves Outcomes | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

CHOP and NCH research found ingesting honey after swallowing button battery reduces injury and improves outcomes.

www.chop.edu

 

[Dave_H]

Maybe it would make more sense to just not make children's toys with coin cells. Have built-in rechargeable batteries instead. Of course, the battery industry would fight that. They probably make most of their money on batteries for children's toys. My former brother-in-law's sister used to spend something like $30 every week for alkaleaks for her children's toys. With battery usage like this, rechargeables would quickly pay for themselves but that's another story entirely. Her brother tried without any luck to get her to use rechargeables.

Dollar Tree sells a small LED "selfie" light for $1.50 (here) which contains 10 SMT LEDs, with a tiny rechargeable Li-ion battery and the IC to charge it. So low price is not a big obstacle to making small devices and toys rechargeable. However, it comes with its own issues, disposal/recovery of Lithium being one; and some risk if it should be opened up. It also means adding a charge connector e.g. USB. Having very young children playing with charging cables and ac-powered dc adapters should be avoided.

Dave

 

[Dave_H]

I heard a radio program describing the electrolytic action (if that is the correct term) causing internal burn effects, if the cell is still active, so chemical leakage is not the only risk.

Dave

 

[ftumch33]

Why don`t they print a skull and crossbones on them to symbolize `deadly`? or print poisonous if swallowed on coin cells. Couldn`t be too hard to do (I like the skull and crossbones though, makes it look cool lol)

 

[ampdude]

If we allow them to we'll all be living in padded rooms in straight jackets. The ones who are allowed to vote will be the ones who can put the square peg into the square hole with their teeth. And of course there will be just two candidates. Exactly like now.

 

[zerodish]

I have tried to charge watch batteries. Some of them will charge to a certain extent. Others will pop like pellet gun. Just don't get greedy. Charge them for about a minute and you will have enough charge to tell if your battery is dead or your watch.

 

[PhotonMaster3]

I remember taking apart a 3V coin cell when I was a kid. Almost caught my room on fire when it autoignited after exposure to oxygen.

I think I've seen that some manufacturers put a bitter tasting coating on their batteries.

Ha dude you make me want to try that tonight after a couple beers.

 

[Monocrom]

I have tried to charge watch batteries. Some of them will charge to a certain extent. Others will pop like pellet gun. Just don't get greedy. Charge them for about a minute and you will have enough charge to tell if your battery is dead or your watch.

Easy fix.... Buy a mechanical watch. 🙂