The FBI is Now in the Product Safety Business

Things you use every day need batteries. Many of the popular items you sell need batteries. Things your clients buy for promotions, and also use for themselves every day, also use batteries. Batteries, batteries, everywhere.

Well, guess what’s going to go up in price anywhere from ten to twenty percent this year? You probably already know where this is headed — batteries are about to get expensive. Realize it or not, we’ve been spoiled — the average price of a lithium-ion battery pack dropped nearly 90 percent from 2010 to 2021. This year, the average battery price goes up, but estimates vary for exactly how much prices will rise by the end of the year. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence expects about a 10 percent rise, while Wood Mackenzie expects a jump of about 20 percent year-over-year. One reason batteries are getting more expensive is that the cost of battery materials, particularly lithium, nickel, and cobalt, skyrocketed beginning in late 2021.

So, why is the FBI all of a sudden showing an interest in batteries? At the end of September, the FBI released a new public service announcement, warning about the risks inherent with counterfeit batteries — a battle waged frequently in this space. "Scammers are leveraging the vulnerabilities in the global supply chain, as well as the public's continuing need for new batteries, to sell a wide variety of counterfeits or unauthorized replicas online," the agency said. In the public release, the FBI warns consumers that counterfeit batteries do not undergo the same standardized testing as OEM batteries- which you’ve known for years. As a result, warns the agency, this "can adversely impact the safety and health of the consumer.” As I see it, this might be an opportunity for you to remind your clients once again, not only of the risk, but also of the steps you’re taking to educate yourself about those risks and mitigate those risks for them.

“When designed, manufactured, and used properly, batteries are a safe power source. However, batteries can cause injury if they are designed improperly, made of low-quality materials, assembled incorrectly, charged improperly, or damaged. Always research the legitimacy of the seller and battery manufacturer before buying”. I must admit, the agency is spot on with this.

The FBI thoughtfully provides a battery purchasing checklist for your use and suitable for passing on to your clients, you know- as the trusted source:

• Always purchase batteries from legitimate and trusted sources, which include authorized dealers or distributors that sell batteries tested by nationally recognized testing laboratories.
• There is a list of nationally recognized labs on the OSHA website.
• Avoid aftermarket batteries when possible because they may be dangerous. Not all aftermarket suppliers are the same; research and read reviews before making a purchase.
• Consumers should avoid all third-party purchases of batteries, as they can appear to be legitimate OEM batteries but are likely counterfeit.
• Always Avoid batteries that:
• are not properly packaged;
• have misprinted or misspelled labels;
• have labels that peel off; or
• do not have official manufacturer batch numbers.

While you’re busy doing this trusted source thing, what if your client asks about proper disposal of batteries when they’ve reached their end-of-life cycle? Here’s where you can do a great service to your clients, as chances are good they don’t have any idea how to properly dispose of batteries. And it’s yet one more service you’re providing in an effort to keep them safe.

So, on to those battery disposal basics. You can tell your client there are two broad types of home batteries: rechargeable and single-use. Standard alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, 9 volts) that power things like a remote control, flashlight, clocks, and other common household items, could be thrown away in the trash, but I would rather they go to retailers like Batteries Plus, Staples, or Best Buy with turn-in programs. Button cell or coin batteries, which your client will find in their calculators, watches, hearing aids, and car key fobs, likely contain silver and mercury and should NEVER be thrown away in the trash.

Lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium batteries (found in cellphones, laptops, tablets, digital cameras, power tools and smart toys) should never be tossed in the trash or placed in the recycle bin. They should go preferably to household hazardous waste (HHW) collection centers, but consumers can call ahead to see if the retailers’ programs could handle those, too.

Finally, there’s a great resource for hyper-local answers to recycling questions. Earth 911 has specific solutions with drop-down menus for the item to be recycled, and by location zip code. So now do you feel like you’re ready for a degree from Recycling University? Which, by the way, is a real thing.