WASHINGTON (AP) - The risk of unstoppable fires is prompting U.S. officials to back a proposed international ban on rechargeable lithium battery shipments as cargo on passenger airlines.
"We believe the risk is immediate and urgent," Angela Stubblefield, a Federal Aviation Administration hazardous materials safety official, said at a public meeting on Thursday. She cited research showing the batteries can cause explosions and fires capable of destroying a plane.
Billions of the lithium-ion batteries are used to power consumer electronics ranging from cellphones and laptops to power tools and toothbrushes. Tens of thousands of the batteries are often shipped on a single plane.
FAA tests show that even a small number of overheating batteries emit gases that can cause explosions and fires that can't be prevented by current fire suppression systems. Airlines flying to and from the U.S. that accept lithium battery shipments carry 26 million passengers a year, Stubblefield said.
Thursday's meeting was called to discuss what position the U.S. will take on the issue at an upcoming international aviation safety meeting. The International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. panel, is scheduled to take up the question of the safety of battery shipments at a meeting in Montreal later this month. ICAO issues global aviation safety standard, although it's up to countries whether to adopt them.