ACCC releases report on Lithium-ion Batteries and the importance of safe battery supply and design. The report examines the risks and hazards associated with Li-ion batteries.
On 5 October, the ACCC released a report “Lithium-ion batteries and consumer product safety”. This report follows on from an ACCC commissioned report by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) on Lithium-ion battery safety (published in May 2023) which sought expert scientific views on product risks and mitigation measures for Li-ion batteries.
In its report, the ACCC is seeking to demonstrate the importance of safe battery supply and design to support consumer confidence in the safety of Li-ion products.
The report examines the risks and hazards associated with Li-ion batteries, the available incident data, the current Li-ion battery market and the regulatory landscape governing Li-ion batteries in Australia.
The report states that the ACCC has received 231 product safety reports relating to Li-ion batteries between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2023. There have been 23 recalls between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2022 involving Li-ion batteries and products containing them. These recalls affect an estimated 89,000 products on the market.
The report makes a number of recommendations to address the risks and hazards associated with Li-ion batteries. These recommendations cover improving data collection practices, clear and accessible educational resources on Li-ion battery safety for consumers and fit for purpose regulatory frameworks for Li-ion batteries.
The ACCC Report can be found on the ACCC website at: https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/publications/lithium-ion-batteries-and-consumer-product-safety
The CSIRO report and additional information on Li-ion batteries can be found on the Product Safety website on Li-ion batteries: https://www.productsafety.gov.au/products/electronics-technology/lithium-ion-batteries
What can I do to get assistance?
Market Access can assist you with meeting your regulatory obligations. We can provide customised regulatory training sessions for your company and the specific power tools you import into Australia or New Zealand. We can conduct due diligence and review your available test reports, certificates and information provided to the user such as rating/warning labels and user safety instructions for compliance in order to reduce your risk before the power tools are supplied to the market.
If you would like to discuss how Market Access can assist you with your regulatory requirements, please contact our general enquiries email Gunther Theisz at gtheisz@marketaccessaus.com.au or call our office on +61 2 9099 1557.