Chinese regulators ramp up scrutiny of portable power banks to ensure aviation safety

Topics related to the safety of portable power banks trended on the hot search list of China's social media platform Sina Weibo on Monday, as Chinese media and netizens paid increasing attention to the issue, while some companies began recalling power chargers over potential safety hazards.

Market regulators in Wuxi city, East China's Jiangsu Province, are investigating the safety issues of certain power bank brands, news portal The Paper reported on Monday, as the authorities has stepped up efforts to tighten scrutiny on portable power charger safety in the aviation sector.

Shenzhen-based Romoss and Changsha-based Anker, two major power charger makers, have recently issued recall notices for some of their products due to possible safety concerns.

In a statement issued by Romoss, it said that the recalled power bank products may pose safety issues due to the raw materials used in some of its products. A very small number of units may encounter overheating in use, and under extreme circumstances, there is a risk of fire, the company said.

Anker said in its statement that the company's recent quality and safety inspection suggested that certain suppliers had made unauthorized changes to the raw materials used in its power chargers. The changes may lead to insulation degradation of the separator after prolonged use, posing a risk of overheating or even causing fire.

According to an earlier report by The Paper, Romoss recalled 491,745 power chargers, while Anker recalled 710,000 units.

On Thursday, in a move to ensure aviation safety, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) issued an emergency notice, stating that starting from June 28, passengers will be prohibited from carrying power chargers onto domestic flights if they lack a 3C certification mark, have an unclear 3C mark, or, belong to those recalled models. 

Since the beginning of this year, incidents of power banks and other lithium battery products carried by passengers catching fire or emitting smoke on board are reported by the media. In recent weeks, some leading power bank brands have issued recalls for multiple batches of power banks due to safety risks, according to the CAAC.

In a response, China's State Administration for Market Regulation moved to revoke or suspend the 3C certification of certain power chargers and battery cell manufacturers, which speaks of the growing safety and quality risks of power banks carried by passengers, posing a growing threat to civil aviation security, said the CAAC.