San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood introduced legislation Tuesday to prohibit the sale of uncertified lithium-ion batteries, which have been blamed for causing numerous fires in the city in recent years.
“This measure is intended to prevent dangerous and fast-moving fires before they start, particularly in dense residential buildings where a single battery failure can threaten dozens of residents,” Mahmood said at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
Lithium-ion batteries are used to power e-bikes and other electronically powered mobility devices. But people can purchase replacement batteries that do not meet the safety standards required for many electronic devices.
These uncertified batteries have become a growing culprit of fires in the city, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. In the last five years, over 120 fires in San Francisco were started by uncertified lithium-ion batteries.
“Lithium-ion batteries are incredibly dangerous if improperly stored or improperly charged,” said Fire Chief Dean Crispen in a social media video with Mahmood.
“Non-UL batteries can be charged over their expected limit where it causes thermal runaway, which creates a large amount of fire and smoke which is toxic to the members of our community as well as the members of our fire department,” Crispen said.
Non-UL batteries are those that do not have certification from UL, an organization that approves electronic products for meeting safety standards.
In his introduction, Mahmood mentioned a fire that burned an apartment building at 50 Golden Gate Avenue in the Tenderloin neighborhood in December. The fire, which displaced dozens of residents, was caused by a lithium-ion battery.
“Fires like this spread quickly, produce intense heat and are extremely difficult to extinguish ,” Mahmood said. “But these incidents are not isolated.”
In March, a fire broke out at the Seneca Hotel, a permanent supportive housing facility for formerly unhoused people. The blaze, which sent one person to the hospital, was seemingly caused by a lithium-ion battery.
“Anyone in San Francisco shouldn’t have to be worried about purchasing unsafe batteries or being displaced by a fire due to a neighbor charging one of these they should trust that they are purchasing safe and certified batteries,” Mahmood said.
The measure would make it illegal to buy uncertified lithium-ion batteries in stores and online in San Francisco. It would also give the fire department the authority to cite violators up to $1,000.
“This proposal will help prevent displacement, protect residents and address a growing fire safety risk before another building is impacted,” Mahmood said.
