NYC Electeds Driven to Pass Immediate Lithium-Ion Battery Legislation

by Mindy Cohn

Lithium-ion batteries have proven to be more dangerous by the day, bringing home the realization that the recent laws passed to get the batteries off the street, which don't take effect until September, are not happening soon enough.

After Tuesday's tragedy, lawmakers are pressing to move that date up to prevent more tragedies like the early-morning fire at the e-bike store in lower Manhattan that left four dead and was caused by lithium-ion batteries, according to the  NYC fire commissioner.

Congressman Kalman Yeger is behind the push to get the law passed by the City Council sooner than the three months left before it becomes the law in order to prevent more tragedies and devastation. 

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who supports Yeger's initiative, has other suggestions as well for preventing poor-quality batteries from being on the street. He wants the City to buy back all the older batteries. He also suggests that the City install safe charging stations for the 65,000 estimated e-bikes used by delivery workers so they don't have to carry extra batteries to get around and do their work. 

While the mayor suggests a push to educate consumers so they will be aware that they must only buy properly certified batteries, Bronx Congressman Ritchie Torres indicates that the federal government should take steps to prevent the cheaply-made batteries from entering the country in the first place.