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The dangers in phone batteries.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
When Verizon Wireless recalled 50,000 counterfeit LG phone batteries last June, it seemed to be an isolated event. Then Kyocera recalled as many as a million fakes four months later.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has investigated more than 100 incidents involving cell phones, batteries genuine and counterfeit, and chargers since 2002. Most incidents resulted in skin burns and tires. The recalls and investigations highlight three broader problems with the batteries used in cell phones:
Counterfeiting is on the upswing. Worldwide, more than 5 million phony cell-phone batteries and other accessories were destroyed by law-enforcement authorities in 2003. Legitimate lithiumion batteries cost $40 to $60. But it's easy to make low-quality fakes that look like the originals and sell for a fraction of the price, says Keith Nowak, a spokesman for Nokia, the world's largest cell-phone manufacturer. Counterfeits may lack key safety features to prevent overcharging or to dissipate heat, which can otherwise cause these small, power-packed cells to overheat, expand, explode, and catch fire.
In October, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced a new program to confiscate many types of fake goods, including counterfeit batteries, through international cooperation, heightened criminal prosecution, tougher border patrol, and increased penalties for counterfeiters.
Meanwhile, Nokia is taking its own steps to thwart counterfeiters. In December, the company began branding its batteries with holograms and a 20-digit code hidden under a scratch-off area on the label.
Legitimate batteries can also pose problems. If overcharged, any lithiumion cell has the potential to erupt, says Jason Howard, chairman of the cellphone ...
- Exploding cell phone batteries pose a small but real threat.
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News November 30, 2004 700+ words
...exploding cell phone batteries. There are more than 175 million cell phones in use in this...shipped with its cell phones. In the latest...some of these cell phones are overheating...reports of cell phone batteries exploding or...
- Cell phone wasteland. (News Clips).(environmental impact of chemicals in cell...
- Magazine article from: Weekly Reader, Edition 4 (including Science Spin) November 15, 2002 700+ words
...Protection Agency, old cell phones could harm the environment...Throwing away cell phones] is becoming a very...the chemicals in cell phone batteries could pollute the environment...companies that make cell phones to use fewer poisonous...
- San Diego firm recalls cell phone batteries.
- News wire article from: San Diego Union-Tribune (San Diego, CA) October 29, 2004 700+ words
...Kyocera Wireless, a San Diego maker of cell phones, said yesterday it was recalling about 1 million phone batteries because they can overheat and possibly...conducted a recall of counterfeit phone batteries. To see more of The San Diego Union...
- California Recycling Law Now Bans Home Disposal of Cell Phones and Common...
- Press release article from: Business Wire February 28, 2006 700+ words
...residents from throwing away cell phones and common batteries in the...is accepting not only used cell phones, cell phone batteries and accessories, but also...HopeLine(R) program, used cell phones, along with their batteries...
- Cell Phone Batteries: CPSC, CTIA Working Together to Keep Consumers Safe.
- Press release article from: PR Newswire May 13, 2005 700+ words
...PRNewswire/ -- Cell phones are ubiquitous...the safe use of cell phones, batteries and...incompatible cell phone batteries and chargers...injuries involving cell phones batteries and...day use of cell phone batteries." Steve Largent...
- CPSC, Kyocera Wireless Corp. Announce Recall of Cell Phone Batteries.
- Press release article from: PR Newswire October 28, 2004 700+ words
...Kyocera Wireless Corp. Cell Phones Units: About 1 million...Hazard: Some of the cell phone batteries supplied by the battery...K400, and 3200 Series cell phones. Below is additional information about the cell phones and recalled batteries...
- Safety guide for phone batteries plodding along.(News)
- Magazine article from: RCR Wireless News March 21, 2005 700+ words
...prevent injuries from exploding cell phones, like the one at issue in...growing reports of exploding cell phones. At least one major cell...would attempt to make cell-phone batteries more robust by setting uniform...cell failure when mobile-phone batteries are used as ...
- FAA considers ban on shipping phone batteries for fire risk.(News)
- Magazine article from: RCR Wireless News December 20, 2004 700+ words
...ion batteries used in cell phones and other electronic...like those used in cell phones to determine if further...consumers from exploding cell phones. The U.S. Consumer...one vendor recall of phone batteries. Christine El Eris...
- Cell-phone batteries.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
- Magazine article from: Consumer Reports Braun, Rich May 1, 2005 700+ words
...Front report, "The Dangers in Phone Batteries," you pointed out that no standards exist for cell-phone batteries, mentioning only that design and...marketers. Many other devices beyond cell phones would benefit from lithium-battery...
- Companies develop green cell phone batteries.(Brief Article)
- Magazine article from: Waste News Peltier, Michael October 15, 2001 700+ words
...telephones. With more than 40 million cell phones being replaced every year, some...Consumers tend to hold on to old cell phones or discard them piecemeal with...regulations on the disposal of cell phone batteries likely to tighten, Valence is...
