Awareness campaign: Pill batteries - miniature danger

de | October. 14, 2021 | Articles, News

Technological advances are what have made our lives easier - from the washing machine to the faucet toys that entertain the little one. But they carry risks: the risk of polluting the environment if we do not collect and recycle electrical equipment and batteries, the risk of depleting the resources needed to make this equipment or the risk of children ingesting pill batteries, if they are left at hand their.

Pill batteries, ranging in size from 5 to 25 mm, are specially designed for use in small equipment such as watches, toys, medical equipment or even sound cards. Due to their small size, there is a risk that they will be swallowed by children once they are within reach or when the battery compartment is not secure. Ingestion of pill-type batteries can cause serious airway injuries, which is why it is extremely important for parents to seek emergency medical attention.

Most incidents of battery ingestion by children occur at home. In an age of accelerated development in which electronic devices are becoming smaller, tablet batteries have become very accessible to young children. Feeding many consumer goods, including children's toys, makes it difficult to create a safe environment for children.

An OECD report shows that in France, accidents are more common in children aged 1 to 4, and in 60% of reported cases, the accident occurred while they were playing. In 23% of cases, the children had to be hospitalized[1].

ECOTIC BAT together with Noriel Romania come to the support of parents with an awareness campaign that takes place in Noriel stores and online. Its purpose is to inform users, especially parents, about the correct use of batteries and how to prevent children from swallowing pill-type batteries.

Thus, anyone can request a mini battery container by entering the website www.ecotic.ro and completing the dedicated form. The batteries thus collected can then be handed over in dedicated containers that can be found in every Noriel store.

“We are happy to join this campaign dedicated to raising parents' awareness of the correct use of batteries. It is a natural approach, meant to protect the little ones from their potential negative effects. At the same time, the campaign continues our efforts to collect batteries separately. Thus, we urge parents to request mini-containers for collection on the ecotic.ro website or to hand over the batteries used for recycling in special collection containers in Noriel stores. Says Oana Niculae, Brand Manager Noriel.

The animation launched by ECOTIC BAT highlights the danger to which children are exposed when parents do not pay enough attention to the storage of small batteries. At the same time, it presents the main steps that parents must follow in these situations.

Animation is available on www.ecotic.ro/baterii si on the channel YouTube - ECOTIC Organization.

"A swallowed battery can destroy the esophagus and thus breaches can occur through which it communicates with the respiratory tract, resulting in severe infections. Also, swallowed batteries can lead, after perforation of the esophagus, to the destruction of a blood vessel with the appearance of severe hemorrhages.

Children who have accidentally swallowed the batteries may experience vomiting, salivation, chest pain or may have symptoms of a mild cold that is associated with digestive manifestations, "said Ms. Dr. Georgiana Tane - pediatrician.

Some of the tips for parents are:

  • Do not change the batteries in toys / equipment in front of children
  • Store small batteries so that children do not reach them
  • Make sure that the batteries are properly positioned in the appliances and the compartment dedicated to them is tightly closed
  • Never dispose of used batteries in the trash.

The campaign is part of ECOTIC BAT's efforts to raise public awareness of the correct use and disposal of all types of batteries and accumulators, thus protecting our environment and health.

[1] OECD. Button Battery Safety: Report on International Awareness Week Program. https://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=dsti/cp/cps(2014)21&doclanguage=en