Yesterday (22nd) at the press conference held by the Brooklyn Chinese Association, federal Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and New York State Senator Yvonne Ku announced the promotion of the “Lithium Battery Consumer Standards Development Act”. Gillibrand aims to incorporate the bill into the 2025 fiscal year Senate’s “National Defense Authorization Act” (NDAA) to address fires caused by defective lithium-ion batteries in equipment like electric motorcycles and electric skateboards.
This bipartisan legislation is aimed at addressing the issue of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries. Just this year, the New York City Fire Department has investigated at least 107 fires involving lithium-ion batteries, resulting in 46 injuries and 1 death. Last year, they caused over 260 fires, 100 children injured, and 80 deaths. Lithium-ion batteries have become a leading cause of fires in New York City, damaging numerous buildings, posing a severe risk to the Brooklyn community.
The “Lithium Battery Consumer Standards Development Act” was passed in the House of Representatives in May this year, requiring the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish mandatory safety standards to prevent such batteries from causing fires. Gillibrand stated that this bill will establish the first mandatory safety standards for micro mobile device batteries nationwide, potentially saving innocent lives.
Ku added that electric motorcycles and other equipment are crucial for New York workers, but low-quality lithium batteries are potential bombs that not only damage homes but also endanger the safety of firefighters. The danger of lithium-ion batteries requires federal government support for control. She urged the federal government to take action to incorporate the bill into the NDAA, preventing dangerous batteries from entering the market and ensuring public safety.
New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh stated that while the fire department is enforcing to the best of their ability, they can only confiscate a few dozen low-quality lithium batteries at a time, while there are tens of thousands on the market. Therefore, it is necessary to pass this legislation to ensure that these faulty batteries are intercepted at ports and no longer flood into the United States, preventing uncertified dangerous equipment from entering households or businesses.
They reminded consumers to check the equipment they purchase, use the correct chargers and power cords, and know how to safely store the devices.