China rolls out mandatory safety regulations for power banks after fire incidents
While not an outright ban on power banks that lack a safety certificate, the rules allow them to be prohibited in public vehicles or public venues
China has introduced new regulations requiring makers of lithium-ion battery packs to obtain a mandatory quality and security certificate, a move that comes after the demise of a major power bank brand amid a string of fire incidents caused by faulty products.
Starting Friday, power banks must carry a China Compulsory Certification (CCC), or 3C certificate, before they can be sold, distributed or produced in China, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation.
While the regulation is not an outright ban on the use of power banks that do not have the certificate, it could mean that their use in public vehicles or even public venues could be prohibited. China’s civil aviation administration has already banned such power banks on domestic flights.
On e-commerce platforms such as Taobao, owned by Alibaba Group Holding, searches for power banks now showcase results with 3C in the description. A popular search term is “power banks I can bring on the plane”.
Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.
China has for some time been issuing 3C certificates, but they have not been mandatory until now. The lack of compulsory quality and safety checks was seen as one cause of multiple fire incidents linked to power banks.