Recently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) concerning safety standards for button batteries and related consumer products. This new requirement aims to eliminate or sufficiently reduce the hazards of children aged 6 and under ingesting button or coin batteries, and will be implemented on button batteries and related products exported to the U.S.

According to the new requirements, all consumer product packaging, battery compartments, and related instructions containing button or coin batteries must include warning labels. These warning labels should clearly and prominently alert consumers to the hazards of button or coin batteries and should be displayed in the most visible location on the packaging.

Additionally, if a product contains button or coin batteries, the relevant manufacturer or trader must comply with the new safety standard requirements. This includes affixing warning statements on the packaging of button or coin batteries and the packaging of regulated consumer products as required by the NPR. Alternatively, they may choose to conduct safety assessments on regulated consumer products according to voluntary standards such as UL 4200A, ASTM F963, IEC 62368-1, or IEC 62115 to directly address the ingestion risks of button or coin batteries.

This new requirement is established under the Reeses Law (H.R.5313). The law aims to eliminate or adequately reduce the danger of children aged 6 and under swallowing button batteries or coin batteries. Reeses Law defines button battery or coin battery as a single cell battery with a diameter greater than its height, or any other battery that the Commission determines poses an ingestion hazard, regardless of the technology used to generate the electrical charge.

For manufacturers and traders exporting to the U.S. market, this new requirement is a critical regulation that must be complied with. They must carefully inspect and evaluate the products they manufacture or sell to ensure compliance with the new safety standard requirements.

In todays increasingly competitive market, safety has become a major concern for consumers. Consumers are paying more attention to product quality and safety, while government agencies are also taking measures to strengthen regulations to ensure consumer safety and rights.