Important information on the return of lithium-ion batteries and devices
All transport of lithium-ion batteries is regulated both nationally and internationally by the law on hazardous goods. These rules apply to every consignment in the commercial and private sector, including returns to the manufacturer or distributor. In addition to individual lithium-ion batteries, entire devices with built-in or enclosed batteries are also affected.
Returns can be made for a variety of reasons:
| Revocation
| Complaint
| Return
| Repair
| Disposal
In order to select the most suitable handling for your case, we have provided the following information and documents due to the complexity of the hazardous goods law.
IMPORTANT: We would like to advise that you, as the consignor/packer, are responsible for the correct declaration of the battery, accompanying documentation and labelling of the package in accordance with the hazardous goods law.
If there are any conspicuous features in the event of an inspection of the package (e.g. missing marking), you as the sender/packer can be prosecuted immediately (e.g. fine). You may also be held liable if you send defective or damaged batteries and an accident/fire should occur.
For the legally compliant shipment of lithium-ion batteries or devices, please work through the following points step by step.
Information document "Shipping of lithium-ion batteries and devices"
All basic information and details can be found in the following document, which is to be used for further processing of the points:
Please read the first page and then proceed to the next item "Battery assessment". Do not be disturbed by the term "commercial". The law on hazardous goods also applies to end customers when sending goods in the private sector.
General note: Sections dealing with air transport (IATA) are not relevant (pages 5-7).
Evaluation of the battery
This is the starting point for selecting the further procedure for returning your lithium-ion battery or device. In addition to the battery condition (damaged/not damaged), the energy content in watt hours (or "Wh" for short) is also decisive for the assessment, as already mentioned on page 1 of the document linked above. This value can be taken from the battery and/or appliance nameplate.
After briefly determining these two criteria, please use the flow chart on page 2 to assess your battery and select the correct shipping procedure. Please refer to the page notes for the respective decision stages, whereby the first decision stage can be confirmed with "yes". All our batteries are UN-approved!
After making your selection, please read carefully the respective page within the document (air freight is not relevant! ) and continue with the "Packaging" item below.
Important: "Critical" (defective or damaged) lithium-ion batteries are excluded from shipment and must not be transported by parcel service!
A critical battery is present in the following cases (see document, page 8 right):
| Severely damaged battery case
| Thermal deformation (melted connection cables or deformed housing)
| Increased heat generation when switched off (not during use or charging)
| Fluid discharge
| Gas outlet
If any of the above "critical" cases occur, please contact the nearest municipal waste disposal company. It is not permitted to return the goods to us! However, "non-critical" batteries can be sent (see page 8 left).
Packaging
Please use the original carton (if undamaged) and the corresponding packaging aids for packing if possible. As a rule, the carton should bear the appropriate marking, unless the battery is not critical or has to be disposed of.
If this is not the case after thorough examination, please apply the correct marking as required by the selection. This will be dealt with in the next section.
If you do not have the original carton or if it is damaged and the battery has an energy content > 100 watt hours or is a non-critical battery, please contact us (Tel. +49 8221 / 203 203) and state the article number/designation of the battery/device (→ see type plate).
We will then provide you with a special shipping carton, which is absolutely necessary according to the hazardous goods law. If you return a device including the battery, you will receive 2 boxes from us, whereby the smaller one is used for separate packaging of the battery and is stowed inside the larger box together with the device. It is also necessary that the carton containing the battery is sealed with fibre-reinforced adhesive tape (available in DIY stores).
For batteries and devices with an energy content of ≤100 watt hours, any commercially available shipping carton can be used, as these can claim an "exemption" from dangerous goods regulations (except for critical batteries).
In addition to the shipping carton, securing the batteries within the package is also very important! Therefore, please note the information on the packaging on the respective page within the information document. Should you require packaging aids for this, especially for non-critical batteries, please indicate this when requesting the carton. We will then provide you with suitable filling material.
Note: A""protection against short circuit" can be achieved, among other things, by taping the battery contacts with adhesive tape or packing them in separate plastic bags.
Marking
After packaging is complete, the shipping carton can now be marked, provided the original carton is not used. Please select the appropriate label based on the information in the information document, print it out and attach it to the side of the shipping carton (not at the top or bottom!).
There are various hazardous goods labels for legally compliant labelling of your consignment:
Note: To mark lithium-ion batteries packed in or with equipment intended for disposal, please use the label "UN 3480 - Lithium batteries for disposal".
If you do not have the possibility to print the labels, please contact us by phone +49 8221 / 203 203.
Accompanying documentation
The last point is the preparation of the accompanying documentation as a supplement to the package and for handing it over to the parcel service. Here you will find the pre-formulated documents in which you only need to enter your address, the current date and the net weight of the battery to be sent (without the device):
Note: As documentation for lithium-ion batteries packed in or with equipment intended for disposal, please use the document "UN 3480 - Lithium-ion batteries".
After all points have been processed and the specifications have been complied with, the package is now ready for collection by us. Please use the above link to our online portal to obtain a shipping label.
We accept no liability for the content of this page. All information and notes have been prepared with the greatest possible care and are subject to regular changes in the law on hazardous goods. Likewise, we do not assume any liability for the content of the document. All rights reserved by the publisher EPTA.