More than 30,000 recalled lithium power banks are still in the hands of Australians, prompting a warning from the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC).
ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said, since 2020, there had been 17 power bank recalls, with nine recalled in the past 16 months.
“The ACCC is concerned about these recalls because together they include around 34,000 recalled power banks that are still with consumers,” Ms Lowe said.
She said the growing list of recalled wireless power banks had the potential to cause serious burns and property damage.
“Power banks, also known as portable battery packs, are portable battery chargers commonly powered by rechargeable lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries.
“Some consumers have suffered serious burn injuries, and some have had their property damaged because of power banks overheating and catching fire.”
Ms Lowe said most incidents had occurred when the power bank was charging a phone or other device.
“(This) makes it more likely that they will be close to the user when they fail, increasing the likelihood of injuries.”
She said consumers who owned a recalled power bank should stop using it immediately and follow the instructions on the recall notice to receive a remedy.
Consumers can check if their power bank was subject to a recall by visiting the ACCC Product Safety website.
Recalled power banks that the ACCC is monitoring closely:
- Anker Power Bank Model: A1257, A1647, A1681, A1689 – Anker Innovations Limited.
- Baseus power bank 65W 30000 mAh (model number: BS-30KP365) – Shenzhen Baseus Technology Co., Ltd.
- SnapWireless PowerPack Slim (Gen 1) – SnapWireless.
- Quad lock MAG battery pack – Annex Products Pty Ltd trading as Quad Lock.
- BoostCharge Pro fast wireless charger for Apple watch + power bank 10K – Belkin Ltd.
- Anker power bank A1647 – Anker Innovations Limited.
- Baseus magnetic wireless charging power banks 6000mAh 20W – Shenzhen Baseus Technology Co. Ltd.
- MagMove 5K Power Bank – Cygnett Pty Ltd.
