CPSC Lithium-Ion Battery Safety; Notice of Meeting on July 27 2023 and Request for Comments
UPDATE 8/1/23: Today I received a Federal Register notice of the CPSC's "Semiannual Regulatory Agenda" just days after the meeting below. What stands out to me is that this document "...includes an agenda of regulations that the Commission expects to develop or review during the next 12 months." and there is no mention or reference at all in this very long document about ebikes, lithium batteries, bicycles or 16 CFR part 1512 (the bicycle and e bike regulation). Again these come out twice a year and we know that Congress is pushing CPSC to regulate ebikes via this bill but I don't thinks its likely that there will be anything significant happening at CPSC re batteries or ebikes until this bill passes. I might be wrong but I don't think anyone should be holding their breath in the next 12 mo for some regulations coming forth from the CPSC on the issues in the meeting referenced below. The proposed de minimus bill (H.R.4148 - Import Security and Fairness Act 118th Congress (2023-2024)) may also help the battery import situation well before CPSC acts.
Prior Post June 5 2023:
The Consumer Product Safety Commission will be holding a meeting on lithium-ion battery safety, with a specific focus on fires occurring in e-bikes and other micro-mobility products as well as the fire risks that may arise with the growing consumer market for other products containing such batteries. They are inviting interested parties to participate in or attend the meeting. A remote viewing option will be available for registrants. CPSC also invites interested parties to submit written comments related to the issues discussed in the notice.
There was allegedly going to be broader rulemaking announced on human powered bikes and or all of 16 CFR part 1512 as well but that notice has not yet appeared. That story appeared in Bicycle Retailer. It is not clear if this current notice is related to the notice discussed in Bicycle Retailer
If you wish to submit written comments for the record, you may do so before or after the meeting, as described in the ADDRESSES section of the notice. These written comments should be received by no later than August 21, 2023. Please refer to the notice for the topics that the CPSC would like to see addressed.
