Canberrans are being urged by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to check for unsafe button batteries in their homes as mandatory safety standards come into effect.
Deputy Chair of the ACCC, Delia Rickard said the world-first standards were a critical step in helping to prevent potentially life-threatening injuries to children.
Ms Rickard said businesses had already recalled a number of different products, including things like novelty light-up toys, children’s clothing, remote controls for smoke alarms and ceiling fans, and even a yoghurt that had a light-up lid.
“Button batteries are found in a large number of common household items such as toys, remote controls, watches, digital kitchen scales and thermometers,” Ms Rickard said.
“If swallowed, a button battery can get stuck in the child’s throat and cause a chemical reaction that burns through tissue, causing death or serious injury within a short timeframe,” she said.
“That’s why we encourage consumers to check the list of recalled products on the Product Safety website.”
Ms Rickard said compartments holding button batteries needed to be secure and child resistant.
“If it isn’t, parents or carers should stop using the product immediately and keep it out of reach of children,” the Deputy Chair said.
“Keep new and used button batteries out of sight and out of reach of small children at all times.”
Once finished with a button battery, she advised parents and carers to wrap sticky tape around the battery, put it in a glass container out of reach of children and recycle it at their nearest bicycle drop off point.
Further information on button batteries and product recalls can be accessed on the ACCC’s Product Safety website at this PS News link.
