Lithium Batteries and the fucking disasters they cause...

Okay, I have a large package coming back since it's got "lithium batteries" in it. Of course, it doesn't, but I wrote "game controller" on the EMS form. It's got a RAP and a PCB. Any votes as to which one is the offending item?

EDIT: The canned response the bitch on the phone gave me was, "you can't ship items like Nintendo DS abroad".

EDIT: Fuck... I just remembered. Wrong package. It had a DS & a PSP in it. Okay, so maybe I am stupid. But not as stupid as thinking Lithium batteries are dangerous.

 

Customs form. You can always bullshit, but then who the fuck knows what will happen if it gets checked.

 

Don't get me started on Japanese postal rules. When I tried to ship a few Mega Drive carts a week back they gave me some shit that they wouldn't accept them due to the battery back up in Phantasy Star 4. So I just took it to another post office 10 minutes down the road. Bloody idiots!

 

Hi,
First time poster here and sorry to make it long from the get go.

@ GaijinPunch

I work in the transport sector and especially the dangerous goods/chemicals department. This may be a bit redundend information as you have already had your package returned to you but here is the info according to IATA regulations 51st edition on handeling and packaging lithium batteries and I quote:

2.3.5.9.1 Consumer electronic devices (watches, calculating machines, cameras, cellular phones, lap-top computers, camcorders, etc.) containing lithium metal or lithium ion cells or batteries when carried by passengers or crew for personal use, which should be carried in carry-on baggage. Spare batteries must be individually protected to prevent short circuits by placement in the original retail packaging or by otherwise insulating terminals, e.g. by taping over exposed terminals or placing each battery in a separate plastic bag or protective pouch, and carried in carry-on baggage only. In addition, each installed or spare battery must not exceed the following:
(a) for lithium metal or lithium alloy batteries, a lithium content of not more than 2 g; or
(b) for lithium ion batteries, a watt-hour rating of not more than 100 Wh.

And:

7.2.4.7 Lithium Batteries
Packages containing lithium batteries packed according to Packing Instructions 965 to 970 that are not subject to other additional requirements of these Regulations must bear a “Lithium Battery” handling label (see Figure 7.4.I). The label must show “Lithium metal batteries”or “Lithium ion batteries”, as applicable. Where the package contains both types of batteries, the label must show “Lithium metal and lithium ion batteries”.

These rules went into effect from this year hence you got your package sent back to you. Basicly what happened was that certain batteries could either start warming up so that the surounding materials would catch fire OR that in reaction with an already started fire the flames would get even hotter there for getting bigger as other materials would also ignite.

In order to prevent your package from being returned one should mark the package with an ion-lithium warning label or remove the battery completly and package it seperatly.

Again sorry for the long post but I hope to have informed rather then to sound pendantic.

 

Nah, that's cool. Very informative.

I'm just stumped on how so many products with such batteries in them make it out of the country.

 

As Yakumo pointed out, not everyone is as strict with the rules.

 

The guy at the post office knew his games, huh? XD

There seems to be some sort of anti-lithium backlash going on lately or something, there was just an article in the NY Times about how retarded children can explode if they eat lithium batteries left lying around by their retarded parents.

 

I remember some sony cell phones explode in people's pockets.

But it must be just a security measure. The company don't want accidents, so they just try to minimize the possibilities.

 

International hazmat regulations forbid air-freighting lithium batteries. Technically they are explosive.