Recently, Shanghai East China University of Science and Technology conducted a surprise raid on student dormitories, confiscating all power banks from students’ rooms, sparking controversy.
According to reports by The Paper, a notice displayed by students at the Xuhui campus of the university on the 15th stated that a campus-wide safety inspection was underway. Following regulations set by the security department, power banks had been classified as unauthorized electrical appliances. Although considering that students had recently moved in, the inspection did not collect the power banks temporarily but with no future exceptions. Students were instructed to properly store and use related items.
However, a student at the Xuhui campus named Ai Yin (pseudonym) expressed that some students received a “confiscation notice for unauthorized electrical appliances,” indicating that the students’ power banks were confiscated on the 15th due to unauthorized use in student dormitories. The notice was issued by the Student Apartment Management Center.
Ai Yin mentioned that previously, she had not received any notices or reminders from the school regarding the safe use of power banks. Yet, on the 15th, her dormitory building underwent room inspections. Another student mentioned that from the first floor to the seventh floor, all power banks in their dormitories were taken away and packed into “several bags.”
She stated that the regulations triggered widespread discussion among students at the school. “We asked the security department for related documents (the basis), but they haven’t provided us with any.”
In response, a staff member from the Student Apartment Management Center at East China University of Science and Technology told Zheng Zai Xin Wen that power banks were confiscated in consideration of safety, as there had been incidents of power banks catching fire in other schools. The confiscated power banks have now been returned.
Regarding whether power banks will be confiscated in the future, the staff member mentioned, “This matter has sparked thoughts and discussions among students, and we will continue to follow up on this regulation.”
In recent times, concerns over the safety and management of power banks have garnered widespread attention in society.
In mid-June, several universities in Beijing issued notices prohibiting the use of Romoss brand 20,000 mAh power banks on campus, citing a higher risk of explosion during charging and potential safety hazards. This news quickly became a hot topic.
On June 26th, the Civil Aviation Administration of China issued an emergency notice banning passengers from carrying power banks without 3C marking, unclear 3C marking, or models or batches subject to recall on domestic flights starting from June 28th. On July 16th, a man in Wuhan, Hubei Province, attempted to pass through airport security with a power bank lacking the 3C certification mark, leading to the device catching fire when he became agitated and slammed it on the ground. The man was administratively detained for 5 days for disrupting public order.