COIN CELL SAFETY
Early Alert for Caregivers – Because fast treatment is essential
When saliva comes in contact with the lithium coin cell, the Color Alert technology will dye the mouth blue seconds after contact with saliva to alert caregivers of possible ingestion.
Discourages swallowing
Children put things in their mouths to learn about their world. We are working to teach children that batteries are not meant to be in their mouths by using a non-toxic incredibly bitter formula, encouraging them to spit the battery out.
Child Resistant Packaging
While few battery ingestions occur because a child gets a battery out of a package, RAYOVAC has voluntarily had child-resistant coin lithium battery packaging since 2014 to do everything we can to help prevent children from accessing batteries in the first place.
Remember, the most common place children access these batteries is from the garbage or directly from the device. Take steps to secure accessible battery compartments, immediately dispose of used batteries, and keep them out of reach of children. DO NOT dispose of batteries in the household trash.
Coin Cell Safety
THREE LEVELS OF PROTECTION IN ONE BATTERY
Introducing our latest battery innovation focused on child safety – equipped with a bitter coating and color alert in child-resistant packaging. Working together, they help prevent coin cell battery ingestion.
The Facts
Risk of serious or fatal injury
Every year, thousands of children visit emergency departments due to coin cell battery ingestion.
(Mills, CPSC, 21 September 2023)
Act within minutes
A swallowed battery can cause serious internal injuries in as little as two hours.
(Mills, CPSC, 21 September 2023)
Children aged 4 and under are at the highest risk.
Children under 4 are most likely to swallow these small batteries, mistaking them for candy or toys.
(Mills, CPSC, 21 September 2023)
What to do in Case of Ingestion
If you suspect your child has swallowed a battery, act immediately:
Consult the National Battery Ingestion Hotline at 800-498-8666 for assistance. Do not induce vomiting or give your child anything to drink. Seek medical attention immediately.
(NCPC, 2018)
Protecting Your Child
Make sure all devices using coin cell batteries have secure closures that are difficult for young children to open.
Keep spare batteries out of reach and sight, preferably in high cabinets or locked drawers.
Even used batteries can be dangerous Immediately dispose of used batteries and keep them out of reach of children. DO NOT dispose of batteries in the household trash.
(NCPC, 2018)
The RAYOVAC Difference
Our latest advancement in child safety is designed to help stop ingestion before it happens. By incorporating a bitter coating and a color alert that changes to blue upon contact with saliva, we can help prevent the risks associated with coin cell ingestion.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The colorant and bitterant are applied to the negative side of the battery in a pattern that ensures maximum performance and device compatibility.
The colorant and bitterant formula activate when saliva touches the cell. Within seconds the child will taste the bitter coating and the blue dye to appear in their mouth.
The colorant technology is designed to react with saliva, however, if the colorant encounters moisture, there is a possibility it will transfer. All batteries should be handled with dry hands.
If a child is exposed to the colorant and bitterant formula, they may spit the cell out, cry or act upset due to the bad taste, look for something to drink to wash the taste away, look to a caregiver for help, rub their tongue or pull at their mouth to get the bad taste out.
The dye is non-toxic and food-grade, and the visibility of the dye will depend on the length of exposure and cleaning applied to the child’s mouth
If the batteries are exposed to moisture, including a humid environment, there is a risk that the dye will stain other objects. However, dye staining the mouth and/or hands may be removed with repeated washing, rinsing, or tooth brushing. If dye stains a device, wipe with a damp cloth and/or use a cotton swab to remove the dye.
The bitterant/colorant formula is good for one exposure. If the color/bitter coating has been partially or completely removed from a coin lithium battery, the battery should be disposed of safely and replaced. If there has been an ingestion attempt on a coin lithium battery, parents and caregivers should be aware and take additional action to keep batteries out of the reach of children.