**Safety Issues Related to AirTags and Coin Batteries**
Regulators have raised concerns about the potential dangers that AirTags present to children, especially because their battery compartments can be easily opened. The coin batteries contained in these devices are akin in size and shape to sweets, creating a choking risk for small children. Ingesting such items can result in life-threatening injuries.
Consumer advocacy organizations have been expressing these worries since 2021. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) pointed out that young children could gain easy access to the AirTag’s battery compartment, enabling them to extract the button battery with minimal effort. Furthermore, the compartment’s lid may not always close securely, and an audible cue suggesting that the lid is locked could be misleading.
The most concerning danger is that if a battery gets stuck in a child’s throat, it may leak lithium, resulting in severe bleeding that can be fatal within hours.
In light of these safety issues, Apple has added warning symbols and messages within the battery compartment, packaging, and the Find My app.
To further improve safety, Energizer has launched the Ultimate Child Shield line of batteries, claiming to eliminate the risk of esophageal burns from ingestion. This range includes the CR2032 batteries used in AirTags. The Ultimate Child Shield batteries incorporate several safety features:
– Child-resistant packaging
– A non-toxic bitter coating to encourage children to expel batteries
– A coating that turns the mouth blue within seconds, alerting parents and caregivers
The rollout of these batteries seeks to reduce the hazards linked to accidental ingestion. For those interested, the Child Shield batteries can be purchased on platforms such as Amazon.