Button batteries: out of reach, out of danger
A button battery is a small cell battery shaped as a squat cylinder typically 5 to 25 mm in diameter and 1 to 6 mm high. It looks like a button or a coin and it's used to power a wide variety of electronics. The miniature size and round shape increase the risk that children unintentionally swallow them. This can be very dangerous and, at worst, even fatal.
The European Portable Battery Association (EPBA) put together this website to raise awareness to this topic.
The video is available in the following languages: en de fr it es
- How to prevent ingestion incidents?
- What to do in case of an emergency?
The European portable battery industry is striving for limiting the risks associated with button batteries by:
- Using child-resistant packaging and placing warning notices
- Participating in standard development process for battery-powered electronics and toys, with focus on making access to batteries harder for children, such as ensuring secure battery compartments.
- Working through the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and other standard setting organisations to continuously improve battery design, product safety and harmonization of caution notices/safety pictograms.
- Collaborating with medical societies to drive awareness and understanding of button battery ingestion in children