Call for button battery redesign after study reveals danger to kids
Experts are calling for a complete redesign of button batteries after research found they're leading to serious injuries and deaths in kids worldwide. Advocates say recent product safety reforms don't go far enough, and they want major manufacturers to take action.
Category
đź“ş
TVTranscript
00:00The button batteries in Evie's hearing aids are a constant temptation.
00:07No, no, no, we're not popping one out darling.
00:09Can I have it? Can I have it darling?
00:11The 14-year-old, who has an intellectual disability,
00:15was recently hospitalised after putting one in her ear.
00:19That was pretty scary and it's happened again since then.
00:22By the time I saw it, there was sort of lots of black discharge.
00:27A new study has looked into the cases of more than 400 children
00:31across the world who suffered button battery injuries.
00:35Button batteries are dangerous because they form a current
00:38which releases hydroxide ions,
00:40and those hydroxide ions are extremely alkaline and corrosive.
00:44The leading injury was a hole or damage to the oesophagus,
00:48followed by burning through to the windpipe and aorta.
00:5235 children died, including three in Australia.
00:56It can make holes in the intestines, which can also be potentially fatal.
01:00Injuries from inserting the batteries included a hole in the nose.
01:05Worldwide button battery injuries are rising.
01:08In Australia, about 20 kids a week end up in emergency departments.
01:13Advocates say recent reforms like childproof packaging
01:17don't address the core issue.
01:19The products remain unsafe.
01:21We started seeing kids ingesting button batteries in the late 70s
01:25and the button battery companies have known about it since then.
01:28There needs to be mandatory legislation
01:31that force manufacturers into changing button batteries.
01:35Major manufacturer Energiser says it's introduced a bitter coating
01:40and blue dye and continues to research how to improve safety.