Occasionally we wonder why governments allow button batteries all. We can’t imagine them approving other consumer goods that burn through kids’ gullets when swallowed. And that could also disfigure their faces permanently if they stuck them in their noses. We are pleased to hear New Zealand’s button batteries are finally under government scrutiny for safety. However, what can the officials actually do, given the constraints?
The Constraints Around New Zealand’s Button Batteries
The New Zealand government would cause chaos if it banned all button batteries outright. A number of devices would eventually fail, including artificial cardiac pacemakers, implantable cardiac defibrillators, automobile keyless entry transmitters, hearing aids, wristwatches, and pocket calculators too.
When button batteries first came to market, nobody thought about the possibility of them harming curious children. New Zealand button batteries are so widespread they have to work around the problem. What will their government do when faced with evidence like this?
The Horrible Injuries that Happen to Young Kids
Ingested button batteries have killed sixty people worldwide since their invention, and injured several New Zealand children. The peaceful island nation wants to stop this carnage, because the injuries are horrendous and may leave permanent scars.
“The most serious injuries are burns to the esophagus and gullet, as well as breathing apparatus and voice box,” a hospital director of child health says. “The other main site of injuries is the nose, where it can burn through the structure of your nose and cause permanent deformity.”
The New Zealand government wants safer packaging, and health warnings in stores. It is also asking device manufacturers to secure battery compartment lids with screws. Button batteries burn body tissue when they short circuit through it. Perhaps someday New Zealand button batteries will have chips in them that detect this happening, and shut them down.
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Preview Image: Hearing Aid Batteries
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