Recalls in Review: A monthly spotlight on trending regulatory enforcement issues at the CPSC.
If you have ever owned a laptop or hoverboard self-balancing scooter, you’ve likely seen numerous headlines about the lithium-ion batteries overheating, melting, or igniting. We recently wrote about ways in which companies can mitigate risks and execute recalls related to lithium ion batteries. In today’s installment of “Recall’s in Review,” we look back at CPSC regulatory actions involving lithium-ion batteries.
The batteries have become a highly regulated product over the last several years. The Commission has conducted at least 64 recalls involving lithium-ion batteries since 2006. The number of recalls rose substantially in 2016 and 2017, many of which were related to the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries inside hoverboards and laptop computers. The Commission took a more active role in warning consumers about the hazards posed by the batteries after two incidents of overheating lead to serious house fires in March and October of 2017.
Only one civil penalty relating to lithium-ion batteries has been issued by the Commission, in early 2012. The manufacturer was fined $425,000 for failure to timely report that certain lithium-ion battery packs could overheat.
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