Holiday Gifts & Lithium-Ion Battery Safety

Holiday shopping season is in full swing, and there's a good chance you may be considering or have already purchased a gift powered by lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The amount of products containing lithium-ion batteries has increased in the marketplace due to their high energy density, meaning they can be smaller and lighter.

However, what many fail to recognize is that the use of these batteries introduces potential safety risks and they require specific care during use and when disposing of them. This article is sure to bring you valuable information for safe-handling these batteries found in so many every-day household and workplace items.

What Products Use Lithium-Ion Batteries?

Lithium-ion batteries seem to be everywhere these days. You may not even realize you're purchasing them when you snag more AA batteries by the register during checkout.

They also supply power to many devices such as:

• E-bikes and e-scooters
• Cell phones, tablets, and laptops
• E-cigarettes and smoke alarms
• Outdoor power equipment
• Drones
• Toys such as remote-controlled toys or ride-on electric cars, hand-held games, talking books
• Musical greeting cards
• Electric vehicles
• Watches

Lithium-Ion Batteries and Fire Safety

As the use of these items has increased in recent years, so has the number of fires associated with them. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 25,000 fire or overheating incidents in lithium-ion batteries occurred in a five-year period.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 25,000 fire or overheating incidents in lithium-ion batteries occurred in a five-year period.

Here are some safety tips regarding Li-ion battery safety from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):

• Only purchase and use devices, batteries, and charging equipment that are listed by a nationally recognized testing lab and labeled accordingly. Look for the Underwriters Laboratory (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Conformité Européenne (CE) marking on the equipment.

• Use charging equipment that is compatible with your device. To be safe, use only the charging equipment that is supplied with your device.
• Do not continue charging the device or device battery after it is fully charged.
• Do not put lithium-ion batteries in the trash. Recycling is always the best option. Take the batteries to a battery recycling location or contact your local waste department for disposal instructions.
• Stop using your device if the battery shows signs of damage, such as an unusual odor, excessive heat, popping sounds, swelling, or change in color.
• Only have device repairs performed by a qualified professional. Attempting to dismantle a battery can result in an explosion.

Conditions to Avoid when Using Li-ion Batteries

In addition to the safety tips from the NFPA, remember to avoid these conditions that can also trigger a Li-ion battery fire:

• Overheating. Extreme temperatures, such as exposure to direct sunlight or storing batteries near a heater, can lead to overheating, rupturing, and fire.
• Rough handling. Dropping a battery or jostling it excessively during transport or use can set off thermal runaway.
• Wet/humid conditions. Rainwater, salty air, and humidity might cause short circuits and trigger thermal runaway even without prior damage to the battery.

How to Put Out a Li-ion Battery Fire

If you do experience a Li-ion battery fire, call 9-1-1 immediately.

If a fire cannot be extinguished, let the battery burn out in a controlled way. Prevent the fire from spreading by soaking the surrounding area with water. In battery pack fires, each cell may burn on a different timeline, and cells may reignite after it appears the fire was extinguished. If you can safely do so, place the battery pack in a protected outdoor space to allow it to completely burn out.

Help Spread the Word About Safety

Since these batteries are so mass-produced, these safety tips are valuable for everyone to know. Help inform others by hitting the share button.

For more information, see NFPA’s “Lithium-Ion Battery Safety” page.

Note from Author

The last version of this article, published on December 5th, 2024 was retracted and has been modified as of December 17, 2024 with more accurate information on how to handle fires started by lithium-ion batteries.