The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released supplier guidance for the mandatory standards for button/coin batteries and consumer goods containing button/coin batteries.
A Guide for Business on the Application of Mandatory Standards will help suppliers understand the new requirements for secure battery compartments, child resistant packaging, and warnings and information.
The ACCC have also published:
The new mandatory standards aim to improve the safety of button batteries and consumer products that contain them. In Australia, one child a month is seriously injured after swallowing or inserting a button battery, with some of them sustaining serious, lifelong injuries. In Australia and around the world, there is a growing record of injuries and deaths from button/coin batteries.
APPA and the ACCC encourage businesses to share this information widely and comply with the new requirements as soon as possible. The sooner you start using these standards, the sooner you’ll reduce the risk of injury to children. Make sure that any buying arrangements you enter into now will get you compliant in the future.
Selling any non-compliant stock on or after 22 June 2022 may result in penalties.
In December 2020 the Australian Government made mandatory safety and information standards for button/coin batteries and consumer goods containing them.
The four mandatory standards are:
The mandatory standards include an 18-month transition period. This allows time for suppliers to implement any manufacturing and design changes to comply with the new requirements. From June 2022, suppliers must comply with the requirements in the standards.
The Product Safety Australia website also provides background on the ACCC’s safety investigation into button/coin batteries, as well as other information on button battery safety.
