Lithium-ion battery safety

The following information is presented in the interests of community safety and general public awareness.

Fires caused by lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have increased dramatically around the world in recent years with deadly consequences.

These batteries are commonly used in home electronics such as phones, laptop computers, tablets, and other devices requiring plug-in charging.

Residential solar battery systems also utilise the technology.

The batteries are small and powerful, but when used incorrectly or damaged, they can overheat, catch fire, or explode.

These days, lithium-ion batteries are the most widespread portable energy storage solution, hence a greater probability of something going wrong.

Papua New Guinea is not an ideal environment for these kinds of batteries due to several factors including:

  • excessive heat and humidity and increased risk of prolonged exposure to sunlight;
  • an uneven, unreliable power supply;
  • a range of imported, cheap, sometimes fake batteries, chargers and products that have flooded the market. 

You may also find products often have a two-pin charger designed for Asia, whereas PNG has three-pin charger ports, revealing a lack of market regulation. Retailers will often offer a three-pin adapter as a ‘fix’. If this happens, at least make sure the adapter is compatible with the device you intend to use.

A general lack of awareness and education in regard to the safe use and storage of lithium-ion batteries is also a problem.

Is it a serious problem?

We need to be aware of the issue. With a general lack of reporting, regulation and resources in Papua New Guinea we need to take a look at what’s happening in other countries.

In Australia, for example, data collated from state fire departments indicate that more than 450 fires across Australia have been directly linked to lithium-ion batteries in the past 18 months.

General Safety Tips

  • Purchase and use devices that are from reputable retailers.
  • Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Always check the charger you are using is suitable for the product being charged.
  • Never use aftermarket (or generic) batteries or chargers.
  • Only use the battery that is designed for the device.
  • Put batteries in the device the right way.
  • Only use the charging cord that came with the device.
  • Do not charge a device under your pillow, on your bed, or on a couch.
  • Do not keep charging the device or device battery after it is fully charged.
  • Plug directly into a wall electrical outlet for charging.
  • Keep batteries at room temperature and away from heat or direct sunlight. Do not charge them at temperatures above 40°C.
  • Store batteries away from anything that can catch fire.
  • Do not charge a device while sleeping.
  • Do not charge a device near your primary exit.
  • NEVER EVER let kids play with any kind of battery.

Signs of a Problem

Stop using the battery if you notice these problems: odour, change in colour, too much heat, change in shape, leaking, or odd noises. If it is safe to do so, move the device away from anything that can catch fire.

Battery Disposal

This is always going to be a problem in PNG, especially with the growing number of devices carrying Li-ion batteries and the lack of regulation. The general rule is never put lithium-ion batteries in the trash and do not discard batteries in piles.

The Government needs to create a means by which electronic devices and batteries can be recycled. The obvious starting point would be the retailers that sell such devices. They could be used as recycling drop-off points for the general public. Retailers could then be hit with the bill for recycling devices that they release to the market. Now, that's an effective business model just waiting to happen!

Fire!

Unfortunately, lithium-ion battery fires are also not easily contained and are self-sustaining which is why they are considered more volatile than other battery types.

Your typical fire extinguisher will not work on lithium-ion battery fires.

Water-based fire extinguishers will cool down the battery to help prevent the spread of the fire but will not extinguish the fire on the battery until its energy is dissipated. 

Special lithium-ion gel extinguishers do exist but are not yet widely available for all lithium-ion battery applications. And even when a lithium-ion battery fire appears to have been extinguished, it can reignite hours – or sometimes even days – later. 

Travelling

Spare (uninstalled) lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries, including power banks and cell phone battery charging cases, must be carried in carry-on baggage only.

Devices containing lithium metal or lithium-ion batteries (laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc.) should also be carried in carry-on baggage. Flight crews are trained to recognize and respond to lithium battery fires in the cabin. Passengers should notify flight crew immediately if their lithium battery or device is overheating, expanding, smoking or burning.  

If you are in doubt about a device that you may have packed in your check-in baggage, always check with the airline staff at check-in or read the airline’s safety instructions. Check, check, check! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ovu ga'hoe! Back cover reveal!

Image
  The following is the back cover text of Ricky Mitio's autobiography. “Ovu ga'hoe!” (I will not go!) These words of defiance were spoken by Ricky Mitio's mother, Mangkeo, as the dawn of a new age of Christianity swept through the New Guinea highlands, delivering its people from a long history of tribal warfare. It was this defiance that kept Mama Mangkeo and her family connected to their land, willing to accept the Light but not willing to go beyond it. It is of this Light, land and resilience that Ricky Mitio was born. In a fascinating story, Ricky Mitio was the first of his generation to gain an education and then lead a national organisation as the head of the lucrative coffee industry in Papua New Guinea. The son of one of the first native Lutheran evangelists in the Eastern Highlands Province, Ricky emulated his father's Christian pioneering spirit, only to find himself Papua New Guinea's most hired and fired state CEO, as his fledgling nation became a paradis...
Read more

Ricky Mitio's book for the ages

Image
In this year of Papua New Guinea's 50th anniversary of Independence, there is no person more qualified to reflect on the highs and lows than Ricky Mitio. I hope you enjoy reading this autobiography of a man who is the son of a tribal warrior born in the Stone Age who later became a pioneer evangelist of the Lutheran Church despite being completely illiterate. Ricky Mitio was among the first people in the country to be educated, learn a foreign language, work for this new means of exchange called money, travel to all districts of the country, and explore five continents of the world.  Ricky Mitio’s name is synonymous with the coffee industry in PNG. When he claims in this book that he is the Papa bilong PNG kopi, he is right. No one can dispute this or take it away from him. It will be his legacy until the end of the world. (From Ovu ga'hoe! Foreword by Tiri Kuimbakul) Ricky's book is due for release in March 2025.   More...
Read more

What's in a name?

Image
BSP’s controversial new logo may well be an indication that the bank, which has outgrown Papua New Guinea, has plans to spread its wings further throughout the Pacific. Bank South Pacific currently operates in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu, alongside its historical home base in Papua New Guinea. But is an entry into New Zealand now on the cards? The new BSP logo bears some resemblance to that of New Zealand’s national airline. It’s as if the brief was, “We want something similar to that of Air New Zealand.” In November 2023, the Prime Minister of Samoa, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, made a bold suggestion that BSP should consider opening branches in Australia and New Zealand to 'service the Pacific diaspora', teasing the prospect of future expansion of the bank. See:  https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/106571 So, the shift in BSP’s corporate identity may well be a hint at an entry into the New Zealand banking sector and a furt...
Read more

Ricky’s Rules

Image
Papua New Guinea society is characterised by gender-specific roles, developed over thousands of years. These are not roles crafted by subversive foreign agents trying to create their ‘new world order’. Generally, if one looks after their health and food intake with care, life can be enhanced on earth. Some of these vital customary practices and beliefs for men include: • do not eat food from the hands of a girl or woman who is having her menstruation period (to this day, my family is told to uphold this basic rule permanently in the kitchen or household); • avoid walking past or sitting next to girls or women otherwise their scent will weaken your strength and stamina; • sleep separate from women; • avoid eating food from a woman who brought food in a bilum over a long distance because the food may be tainted; • do not get involved in black magic as per Christian teachings. Foreign governments and their subversive agents should be respectful and mindful of this before att...
Read more

eBooks for Christmas

Image
Whether it's a gift or holiday reading, eBooks are now as accessible as ever, with features to enhance your reading experience. Get started by downloading the FREE Kindle app, and then you are set to purchase low-cost eBooks on Amazon!  New to eBooks? Learn more here The Tonda Located in Western Province, Papua New Guinea, way over near the Indonesian border, the Tonda Wildlife Management Area covers 590,000 hectares and contains more than half of New Guinea's bird population plus millions of insects, plants and microorganisms that inhabit ecosystems within the region. Now available as an eBook, The Tonda includes brilliant photography by acclaimed PNG photographer Rocky Roe, as well as words, additional photos, and interviews by the author, Glenn Armstrong. Buy now on Amazon        100 Treks Across the Kokoda Trail A story of reflection on the past 30 years of Charlie Lynn's commitment to the Kokoda Trail and those who served during the WW2 camp...
Read more