Campaign sees thousands of potentially dangerous batteries and chargers removed from sale

More than 1,800 potentially dangerous batteries and chargers have been removed from sales following a regional campaign by Trading Standards services.Nine local authorities in the East have taken part in the campaign – carried out after fire and rescue services in the region reported an increase in the number of fires involving lithium-ion batteries and battery chargers.These batteries are found in a large number of household devices, including laptops, mobile phones, vacuum cleaners and cordless power tools and can pose a serious fire risk.

The campaign saw Trading Standards services buy and test 22 items, primarily from online marketplaces. All failed to provide the correct information as required by law, with 13 also failing on safety grounds, including risk of electric shock, fire and explosion.

Margaret Dewsbury, cabinet member for communities and partnerships at Norfolk County Council, which led the campaign, said: “Lithium-ion batteries are present in so many electronic items in our homes, but they can pose a serious fire risk.

“This important regional work, led by Norfolk County Council’s Trading Standards team has not only removed potentially dangerous batteries and chargers from being on sale but also highlights the need for people to buy from reputable retailers and always use replacement parts and chargers that are recommended by the manufacturer.”People are also advised to only charge devices for the recommended amount of time and not while they are asleep or out of the house, as this could lead to a fire becoming much more serious.For more advice on staying safe with lithium-ion batteries, visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/lithiumbatteries If you believe you have purchased a sub-standard product, you can report it to Trading Standards by contacting our partners the Citizen’s Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.People should not dispose of lithium-ion batteries in household bins. Either take them back to the retailer who sold the item they came with or to one of Norfolk’s Recycling Centres.