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Fortunately, it is possible to plan ahead and put in place a ‘recall action programme’ so that if it becomes necessary to retrieve product from the market, it can be handled efficiently with minimal impact on customers or damage to the brand’s reputation. The first thing to do is keep abreast of regulations. These are often updated, so if electronics manufacturers find themselves faced with a recall, they must ensure they are adhering to the current rules, ideally ahead of time i n their recall plan. With different agencies involved, and the mandates they


to new technology a enforce constantly s


L


ithium-ion batteries are omnipresent, though often hidden, inside cars and mobile phones, digital cameras and even heart pacemakers. They are a ma factor in powering our everyday lives. But whilst their efficiency and


ajjor


usefulness has seen their ubiquity grow, any problem with these batteries can also have a big impact. HP laptop users were urged to check their models in January when the company recalled 100,000 different laptops amongst concerns that the lithium-ion batteries contained within them could overheat and potentially cause a fire hazard. This has not been the only headline concerning electronics powered by these batteries. E-cigarettes w ere in the news a few months ago when they overheated, causing explosions, and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau had to launch an investigation, according to a news report in Forbes, after a female passenger suffered burns when her noise cancelling headphones caught fire on a flight from China to Australia.


It's important to remember that


lithium-ion batteries are very safe when manufactured to international standards, which is why they are so widely used, however, because of their high energy, they need to be treated with care.


Counterfeit batteries, or those that have been punctured or dropped would be unlikely to pass the stringent tests required to ensure they are safe for transport either by road, air or train.


24 24 DECEMBER JANUAR 201 ECEMBER/JANUARY 2018 | ELEC RO ELECTRONICS CS


The regulatory Europe include t Transport Associ


ation (IATA) and ADR, he International Air agencies, which in


which governs UK and EU road


transportation, dictate how batteries, including defective batteries, should be packaged and shipped In January of this year a new hazard label came into effect which needs to be used on packages containing lithium-ion batteries


.


prepared in accordance with regulations. If transportation by air is unlikely to be allowed, ground transportation may be an option even for damaged batteries, however any product deemed liable to rapidly disassemble; dangerously react; produce a flame; or emit toxic, corrosive, or flammable g ases or vapours unde r normal conditions can’t be transported without special permission fromthe consigning country. Even in instances where they can be shipped, they require intricate packaging with fireproof lining, along with specialised tape and specific labels that must be placed with precision.


GROWT IN ELEC RONICS MEANS GROWTH ININ RECALLS


GROWTH IN ELECTRONICS MEANS GROWT


RECAL


As we become more reliant on electronics products that require charging or powering through batteries, recalls will inevitably become more common. Even if the recall is unrelated to the battery itself, products containing lithium-ion batteries present unique challenges in the recall process that electronics


manufacturers have to take into account. Figure 1:


Figure 1: roducts


Products containing llithium-ion batteriesithium-io present unique


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hallenges in the recall process that electprocess that electronicsronics manufacturers have to take into account


hifting in response nd information, it’s


a small and moving target that can be hard to keep up with, especially if the recall spans international boundaries. Supply chains are not always designed so this can clog nd drag out the


current operations a to retrieve products,


necessary Planning for this eventualit y can ease the stress of a recall but working with a third party to handle product retrieval is often a more


retrieval process for longer than .


economical option as it enables regular operations to proceed uninhibited. The other issue to consideration when lithium-ion battery


recalls is that they it comes to take into


are considered hazardous waste. The costs associated with hazardous waste disposal can add u p quickly, making a n issue with a small part of a product a very pricey affair.


It is not always easy with modern


designs to remove a faulty battery from a product, but if it can be done, manufacturers would be advised to instruct customers to dispose of the faulty battery locally. Removable batteries can be separated from the rest of the product during destruction, which cuts the costs associated with hazardous waste disposal. There are fewer options for built-in batteries, making recalls more complex and costly.


Stericycle ExpertSolutions


www.stericycleexpertsolutions.com T: 0333 300 0901


www.stericycleexpertsolutions.com / ELECTRONICS ELECTRONICS


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