PRBA releases statement on battery recall issue

The Portable Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA) released statements on the IBM/Lenovo and Sony battery recalls last August. According to PRBA executive director George Kerchner, recent recalls of certain Li-ion batteries address a very rare problem and that majority of batteries being recalled are safe, with Lenovo and Sony exercising extreme caution.

The body explained that only a tiny fraction of the recalled batteries pose a problem because Li-ion batteries incorporate several redundant protective mechanisms hence, are fundamentally safe technology.

More than two billion Li-ion batteries are manufactured annually and only a small number of incidents have occurred, added Kerchner. The recall resulted from a possible manufacturing defect that has been identified.

Meanwhile, PRBA added that consumers should comply with the recalls. Notebook computer users who may own a recalled battery should go to the computer manufacturer's or battery supplier's websites.