Button battery safety - Assessment of regulatory options - Consultation paper

Response 935157756

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Consultation Paper Questions 1 - 7

1. The ACCC considers the status quo and proposes three options to improve the safety of button batteries. Which is your preferred option and why do you prefer it to the others?

The ACCC considers the status quo and proposes three options to improve the safety of button batteries. Which is your preferred option and why do you prefer it to the others?
Education
Safe packaging
Place button batteries at top of stands and displays

2. What effect do you believe each of the proposed options will have in saving lives and reducing severe injuries caused by button batteries?

What effect do you believe each of the proposed options will have in saving lives and reducing severe injuries caused by button batteries?
Fairly high

3. Provide comment on the ACCC’s essential requirements for secure battery compartments, child-resistant packaging and warnings and information. Are there any additional requirements that should be included?

Provide comment on the ACCC’s essential requirements for secure battery compartments, child resistant packaging and warnings and information. Are there any additional requirements that should be included?
See above answers

4. In relation to the requirement for secure battery compartments in which button batteries are only accessible with the use of a tool, do you consider that the use of a ‘tool’ should include the use of a coin? Why/why not?

In relation to the requirement for secure battery compartments in which button batteries are only accessible with the use of a tool, do you consider that the use of a ‘tool’ should include the use of a coin? Why/why not?
Do not under stand

5. Do you supply products that currently meet the essential requirements for secure battery compartments, child-resistant packaging and warnings and information? If not, which requirements do your products not meet and why?

Do you supply products that currently meet the essential requirements for secure battery compartments, child resistant packaging and warnings and information? If not, which requirements do your products not meet and why?
Yes

6. Provide comment on the ACCC’s proposed information standard for warnings and information to be made available at point of sale. Are there any additional requirements that should be included for products sold online, or for unpackaged products supplied to consumers?

Provide comment on the ACCC’s proposed information standard for warnings and information to be made available at point of sale. Are there any additional requirements that should be included for products sold online, or for unpackaged products supplied to consumers?
Yes online sales should have a warning note
And put on there website instructions

Consultation Paper Questions 8 - 14

8. Do you agree with the proposed exemption for hearing aid devices and associated zinc air batteries? Please explain your reasons. (See section 5.2)

Do you agree with the proposed exemption for hearing aid devices and associated zinc air batteries? Why/why not? (see Section 5.3)
Yes

9. Do you consider that any other categories of consumer goods should be exempt from any of the proposed requirements? Do you have information and data you can provide to the ACCC in support of your view?

Do you consider that any other categories of consumer goods should be exempt from any of the proposed requirements? Do you have information and data you can provide to the ACCC in support of your view?
No

10 . What are the likely costs to implement each of the requirements (design changes, child resistant packaging, labelling), and what do you consider is the likely effect on prices for consumers?

What are the likely costs to implement each of the requirements (design changes, child resistant packaging, labelling), and what do you consider is the likely effect on prices for consumers?
Miner increase in price changes
You will need to be mindful to take time doing these things as smaller companies would be at a major disadvantage if in forced to soon

11. Do you think that all potential costs to business have been considered? Can you provide any further information about the likely cost and impact of each of the options?

Do you think that all potential costs to business have been considered? Can you provide any further information about the likely cost and impact of each of the options?
If it’s not in forced in a quick way can you allow if you used for this to happen then I don’t think there’s any major costs but if you insist current products come off the marketplace then some businesses may go under

12. Provide comment on the transition period for the proposed options. (See section 7)

Provide comment on the transition period for the proposed options (see Section 7).
Three years

13. Provide comment on the principles-based approach to a mandatory safety standard. (See section 7.2)

Provide comment on the principles based approach to a mandatory safety standard (see Section 7.2). A principles based approach: • Sets out safety principles that need to be met rather than specifying detailed standards • Incorporates external instruments for compliance tests only • Includes administrative guidance which provides examples of relevant clauses in external standards that are considered to comply with each requirement.
This would be almost impossible to enforce considering so many levels of distribution and just in Australia alone.

14. Provide any additional information or data that you think may be useful for informing the ACCC’s recommendation to the Minister.

Provide any additional information or data that you think may be useful for informing the ACCC’s recommendation to the Minister.
No