Our Mission:
Child Safety
Button batteries are small and shiny, making them especially easy for children to pick up and swallow accidentally.
Larger lithium button batteries are particularly dangerous for children. If swallowed, they can become stuck in a child’s throat (oesophagus) and cause severe burns through a chemical reaction in as little as two hours. That’s why raising awareness and using button batteries safely is so important to protecting children.
Did
you
know?
More than 84 % of button battery ingestions happen in children under 6, with the highest risk at age.1
Risk of severe injury due to button battery ingestion has increased seven-fold in the last two decades.1
Over 12 % of children who ingest a button battery over 20 mm experience severe injuries.1
Our child-safety packaging
VARTA button cells are exclusively packaged in certified child‑safety packaging compliant with IEC 60086‑4/Ed.5. This ensures that batteries remain completely inaccessible to children and that the battery & packaging are clearly marked with essential safety warnings.
The secure double‑blister consists of two PET films made from 80 % recycled material, sealed together to provide maximum child‑safety. A dedicated opening cavity allows the packaging to be cut open easily and safely - without the risk of accidentally short‑circuiting the cell with scissors.
Child-safe packaging
Buy button cells that already come in child-resistant packaging.
Keep out of reach
Store button cells in a locked drawer or on a high shelf, out of sight and reach of children.
Identify devices & supervise
Identify all devices at home that use button cells and never leave children unattended with them.
Lock battery housing
Ensure safe closing of battery housing for example with an adhesive tape or a screw.
Safe replacement
Never insert or replace button cells in front of children and keep used batteries out of their reach.
Immediate disposal
Wrap adhesive tape around used button cells and dispose of them as soon as possible.
Ensure safety at home
Spot the signs of button battery ingestion
Swallowing a button battery can easily go unnoticed, making this a particularly dangerous emergency. However, certain symptoms may signal that a battery has been ingested. Watch for these warning signs:
Emergency measures
Button battery ingestion can cause life-threatening injuries in as little as two hours, so rapid action is critical. If you see or suspect that a child has swallowed a button battery, act immediately and follow these steps:
Safety guidance by EPBA
The EPBA and its members are committed to reduce this risk of button battery ingestion by providing information and thereby enhancing awareness. According to Hans Craen, Secretary General of EPBA, the safe use of batteries is one of EPBA´s key values. He also drew attention to continually occurring incidents of small children swallowing small batteries being a serious risk to their health. As a member of the EPBA, VARTA Consumer Batteries GmbH & Co. KGaA is pleased to share the EPBA´s “Button Battery Safety Parental Guidance”-video:
About EPBA
The European Portable Battery Association (EPBA) is the leading organization representing the interests of primary and rechargeable portable battery manufacturers, those industries using portable batteries in their products and distributors of portable batteries active within the European Union and beyond. It supports the common interests of its members towards European institutions and other leading international bodies to provide consumers with complete power solutions which are sustainable across their life-cycle.
1https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:29c1862d-f93a-41a7-a8d3-a8da2a58b231
For more information contact:
Claire Couet, European Affairs Manager, EPBA
+32 2 761 16 02
epba@kelleneurope.com