Understanding lithium-ion batteries and their dangers

Watervliet Fire Chief advises consumers of safety measures ahead of holiday season regarding use of these rechargeable batteries

In today’s technology-driven culture, it is very common for the average American to own laptops, smartphones, tablets, and electrically charged ways of transportation such as electric cars, motorized wheelchairs and scooters, e-bikes, or hoverboards. Some may argue that it is a necessity to have these items, but there is a danger behind them, which is the way they are charged. All of these items require lithium-ion batteries to maintain power. However, if these batteries are not used with caution or used properly, they can become a fire hazard, produce toxic gasses, and even explode.

With the global lithium-ion battery market currently being valued at $48.19 billion and expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 18.9 percent from 2023 to 2030, it’s clear that the relevance of lithium-ion batteries is not going away anytime soon so we must know what lithium batteries are, what they are in and, what we should do if we were to find ourselves in a dangerous situation caused by a lithium-ion battery.

What is a lithium battery and what makes it dangerous?

A 2019 study by the American Chemical Society defines a lithium-ion battery as a rechargeable battery that uses the reversible intercalation of Li+ ions into electrically conducting solids to store energy. They are different from other rechargeable batteries in that Li-ion batteries have higher energies, density, and efficiency, in addition to a longer life cycle, and a longer calendar life.

The primary risk of a lithium ion battery is a phenomenon known as a thermal runaway.

While it is normal for the battery to produce some heat due to the constant charge and discharge of electrons in the battery while charging, a thermal runaway happens when chain exothermic reactions occur within the battery. The reactions cause the internal battery temperature to rise, which leads to the inner structures of the battery to destabilize, degrade, and overheat. When the battery overheats, it fails, and can cause the item it is charging to combust. Thermal runaways can cause the ejection of toxic gasses, shrapnel, or particulates, and can also cause smoke, fire, explosion, and the worst-case scenario, death.

Because lithium-ion batteries are so incorporated into everyday life, the risks affect everyone. City of Watervliet Fire Chief Bill Whitney said that these types of incidents related to lithium-ion batteries are popping up all over Berrien and Van Buren County.

“At Watervliet, we see a couple of fires a year but in Benton Township and Benton Harbor, we see on average, one per month,” said Chief Whitney.

On a national level, the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) has initiated a research project in partnership with the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY). This project studies and seeks to answer questions about lithium-ion battery safety through conducting experiments in both laboratory and residential test structure settings using carefully designed and placed instrumentation. 

The FSRI also launched an advocacy campaign surrounding the dangers of lithium-ion batteries, called Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety. The group released its first video PSA  in November about Lithium-Ion Battery Safety and precautions to protect your loved ones while using lithium-ion battery-powered devices.

Explosions linked to lithium-ion batteries have gone up dramatically in the past two years, particularly in New York City. So much so that New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently signed five bills into law, that prohibit the sale, lease, or rental of e-bikes and electronic scooters, and their storage batteries that fail to meet safety standards. 

Legislation surrounding lithium-ion batteries is important because, as nyc.gov has stated, lithium-ion batteries resulted in 10 deaths and 226 injuries from 2021 to 2022. It was also announced by the FSRI in September 2022, that electric mobility fire trends were increasing, with double the incidents of the previous year. In March 2023, lithium-ion battery fires resulted in two deaths and 40 injuries, all in New York City, alone.

What can we do to prevent lithium-ion battery fires and explosions?

While avoiding lithium-ion batteries may not be possible, Chief Whitney said there are proactive steps you can take to reduce the risk of an accident by using the correct charger, making sure the charger is not damaged, replacing a charger for an item that’s from the item’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and, preferably look for items that contain a battery that was manufactured in the United States.

“A lot of people buy the cheaper, overseas made batteries rather than the actual OEM battery… the batteries that are being made overseas – the non-OEM batteries, those are the ones we’re seeing issues with.” he said. “Make sure you get an OEM battery or a battery from that product’s original manufacturer and make sure you’re charging it with a charger that is made specifically for it. If you hook them up to the wrong charger or they’re punctured or damaged in anyway–all of these things create heat then causes them to combust and explode.”

He added that people should charge items with lithium-ion batteries in areas where there are non-combustible or flammable items around.

“It is not a good idea to charge these things in the living room, in a garage, and don’t leave them charged inside your home overnight,” Chief Whitney advised.

Other helpful tips to avoid an accident include not leaving the item that requires the lithium-ion battery unattended while charging, never block an entry way with an item that requires a lithium-ion battery, plug the item directly into a wall electrical outlet, not a power strip, and always keep the devices at room temperature when charging.

What to do in the event of a lithium-ion battery fire or explosion

If one does find themselves in an emergency caused by a lithium-ion battery, according to Chief Whitney, the best thing to do is immediately evacuate the area and call 911. However, the dangers lithium-ion batteries can cause should be on everyone’s minds, especially during the holiday season, so we can prevent avoidable accidents like these.

“I think the holiday season is a special time to be cautious of it because kids are getting different toys and stuff with the lithium-ion batteries in them so people need to be cautious about where they’re charging these things.”