Know that you own Lithium-Ion batteries…

Chris Abbott

Editor

The theme of the internationally recognized 2025 Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 5-11, is ‘charge into fire safety.’

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) wants consumers to be aware of Lithium-Ion batteries in your home and how to you can use them safely, offering three steps for safety – only buy certified products, charge devices safely and charge devices safely.

ONLY BUY CERTIFIED PRODUCTS

When buying a product that uses a lithium-ion battery look for a safety certification mark such as ULC or CSA. This means it meets important safety standards.

CHARGE DEVICES SAFELY

Always use the cords that came with the product to charge. Follow the instructions from the manufacturer. Buy new chargers from the manufacturer or one that the manufacturer has approved.

Charge your device on a hard surface. Don’t overcharge your device. Unplug it or remove the battery when it’s fully charged. 

RECYCLE RESPONSIBLY

Don’t throw lithium-ion batteries in the trash or regular recycling bins because they could start a fire. Recycle your device or battery at a safe battery recycling location. Visit call2recycle.org to find a recycling spot near you.

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“Lithium-Ion fires are certainly a hot topic right now,” said Cory Armstrong-Smith, Fire Prevention Officer in Norfolk County, who wanted to add an important fourth item to the NFPA safety steps, relevant to nearly everyone in Norfolk County.

“It’s realizing you have them. So much of the conversation we have with our public… when you start talking about Lithium-Ion or rechargeables, they immediately dismiss it saying ‘I would never own a Tesla.’ And that’s the end of the conversation. They don’t realize as they are saying that, they have a cell phone in their pocket, which is a Lithium-Ion battery.”

Commonly using Lithium-Ion batteries are laptops and tablets, vape devices, smart watches, cameras, electric toothbrushes, smoke alarms, wireless Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, cordless vacuums and power drills… the list goes on.

“It is very much learning what you own, taking care of it, and treating it with respect.

“They are prevalent everywhere in our society and the only ones that make the news are the cars. But a bent phone in your pocket is a fire attached to your skin. It’s very important to be aware of that.”

It is important to buy (or replace) chargers that are approved/rated for your phone, he said.

“Just because it has USB-C does not mean it is an actual ULC listed and tested product. Are you using the dongle that provides the right voltage? They are all made different and there are so many things that could be going wrong.”

Also, charge the phone responsibly, he said, never charging it while using the phone in bed. If you fall asleep, the phone – which could overheat while charging if the battery/cord/dongle fails - is resting on a very flammable source.

“It’s the same thing as smoking in bed. The fire’s right there. By the time you wake up, you’re already in it. It is absolutely a very dangerous thing, but it is so commonplace now. And everyone says, ‘It’s not a problem because I don’t own an electric car.’

“When the time comes for you to buy a new remote control car or drone battery, you can go online and buy a new battery – it may be $5 - but does it have those CSA/UL markings? If it is made by a company not putting in any of the safety features, that’s where the issue is.”

Batteries for e-bikes can be modified to extend the charge or charge faster – which involves removing all safety features which prevent it from overheating.

“People will plug them in overnight and it does not stop charging - it overcharges, it heats up, it blows up.”

The issue is ‘thermal runaway.’ When batteries are clustered together in tight proximity, when one has a chemical reaction and overheats, it heats up all the batteries around it.

“It literally is ‘thermal running away’ because it keeps going until it consumes everything. A typical electric car will have thousands of these little cells. But even the smallest device will do it. So, the important part is maintaining the temperature inside that battery so it cannot do that. The circuitry that is built into every one of these batteries is designed to keep the temperature regulated – it stops charging if it gets too hot or is charging too quickly. And stops charging completely when done.

“If your battery is damaged, if you are using your power tools as a hammer, or dropping your cell phone or tablet all the time… even if it ‘turns on,’ you are running the risk – every time that happens – of warping the metal components within the battery, which can cause it to heat up. It may not be a problem until the next time you plug it in… but if you plug it in overnight and go to bed, then this is happening right beside you.”

Armstrong-Smith said it’s important to look for the safety marks when buying Lithium-Ion batteries, and buying the right product for your device.

“If you have an Apple phone that says you need to buy an Apple battery, take that seriously. Don’t buy an Amazon Basics charger because it’s not designed for that phone, that battery.”

Armstrong-Smith again stressed ‘realize that you’ve got them,’ and ‘realize that you need to look after them.’

RECYCLING

Lithium-Ion batteries should be properly recycled, he said.

“If you’re just throwing it out, that battery still holds a charge. So when you throw something in the garbage, you are ‘dropping’ it. And that can cause the reaction when it goes into the garbage truck and it compacts the garbage, crushing all that together. Thermal runaway can still happen.”

Before the battery reaches the landfill, there are several times when it can get crushed, he said.

“If it’s in the middle of a bunch of bags in the back of the truck, it will ignite. This is not an uncommon problem. We haven’t had it out here, that I am aware of, but it’s only a matter of time before we get it.

“Recycling those batteries is a huge deal. Part of it is being aware that it is a Lithium-Ion battery.”

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The Norfolk County Fire Department ‘strives to enhance awareness through education and enforcement while providing exceptional fire and rescue services.’

During Fire Prevention Week, the local fire department, with 11 stations across the county, will be attending the Norfolk County Fair, Oct. 7-13, to promote fire safety and connect with the community.

“We work to create safe communities through public education for all ages, fire prevention and inspection services, and by working closely with partner agencies and community groups.”

FIRE PREVENTION WEEK

Fire Prevention Week, initiated by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), is observed internationally each year during the week of Oct. 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, Oct. 8, 1871, which caused devastating damage, killing more than 250 people, leaving 100,000 homeless, destroying more than 17,400 structures, and burning more than 2,000 acres of land.

NFPA’s first international members joined the nonprofit association in 1903.