Due to the risk of fire, lithium-ion batteries can not be shipped as cargo on passenger planes.
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The ICAO instructions completely ban electronic devices powered by lithium metal or lithium ion cells and carried by passengers or crew when the batteries exceed the 160 watt-hour rating.
“This interim prohibition will continue to be in force as separate work continues through ICAO on a new lithium battery packaging performance standard, now expected by 2018”, said Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, president, ICAO Council.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation 36-state governing council said the prohibition would be in effect as of April 1, and would be maintained until a new fire-resistant packaging standard is created to transport the batteries.
An example of ICAO’s ruling for cargo planes said batteries must not be above a 30% charge, which minimizes energy if batteries short circuit.
Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., who authored the provision, has said that since batteries are an worldwide industry there should be a single, global standard, otherwise it would be too confusing for shippers to follow multiple rules. “If ICAO truly wants to make an impact, then it must deal with lithium battery shipments on cargo aircraft or at the very least, reverse the exemptions that except these shipments from being fully regulated as risky goods”, the union concluded.
This is an update to a FOX13 investigation that found little regulation over the shipment of lithium batteries.
The batteries, used in cellphones, laptops and other mobile devices, have been blamed for several aircraft fires. The ban comes post the concerns raised by pilots and aircraft manufacturers about the vulnerability of these batteries to catching fire. That, in turn, can spread short-circuiting to nearby batteries until an entire shipment is overheating and emitting explosive gases.
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These tests have led aircraft leaders, Boeing and Airbus, to declare that the continuous bulk shipment of lithium-ion batteries were “an unacceptable risk”. Representatives from the Netherlands and France on the risky goods panel voted last fall against a ban.
