Photo Courtesy of Sen. Schumer
Senator Schumer called lithium-ion batteries “unpredictable, and oftentimes, very dangerous…”
By Forum Staff
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx), and City Fire Department officials on Sunday announced a push to pass bipartisan legislation called the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act.
Schumer noted that over the past few years there have been a growing number of fires across the five boroughs, Long Island and beyond caused by lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters. There were 216 of these battery fires last year, a dramatic increase from the 44 that occurred in 2020. This year, there have already been 30 battery fires in NYC, which have left 40 injured and two dead.
“[F]ederal action is needed to protect consumers and also our brave firefighters who are on the front lines of this new paradigm in fire prevention spurred by these unpredictable, and oftentimes, very dangerous batteries,” Schumer said.
FDNY and other stakeholders said they need federal action to fight these fires. One of the steps, Schumer, Gillibrand and Torres said, is the Consumer Product Safety Commission needs to enact a final consumer safety standard for lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters. No federal consumer safety standard currently exists for such batteries, which has helped allow the cheap, faulty, China-made batteries that have been the cause of most of the NYC fires to remain available.
According to City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, on Feb. 13, a fire erupted in a home in Brooklyn, ultimately claiming the life of a woman in the home. On Jan. 25, a fire in Queens injured 18 people, including a child removed in critical condition. On Nov. 5, 2022, a fire on the 20th floor of a Manhattan apartment building forced two occupants to hang from a window to escape the choking black smoke.
“They are alive today only because of the heroic rescue and emergency medical care by our members. The common denominator of these fires? Each was caused by a lithium-ion battery,” Kavanagh wrote in an AMNY op-ed. “These are just three of more than 400 fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in New York City in the last four years. These fires start quickly, grow rapidly, offer little time to escape, consume everything in their path, and are very difficult to extinguish.”
According to FDNY, lithium-ion batteries are used in various devices. These batteries are commonly used in cell phones, laptops, tablets, electric cars, and scooters. Lithium-ion batteries store a large amount of energy and can pose a threat if not treated properly. Like any product, a small number of these batteries are defective. They can overheat, catch fire, or explode.
Be careful when using any devices powered by lithium-ion batteries:
- When purchasing devices, be sure that the equipment has the Underwriters Laboratories Mark. The UL mark shows that the product has been safety tested.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for charging and storage.
- Do not charge a device under your pillow, on your bed, or on a couch.
- Always use the manufacturer’s cord and power adapter made specifically for the device.
- Keep batteries/devices at room temperature. Do not place in direct sunlight.
- Store batteries away from anything flammable.
- If a battery overheats or you notice an odor, change in shape/color, leaking, or odd noises from a device discontinue use immediately. If safe to do so, move the device away from anything that can catch fire and call 9-1-1.
