ASHA Applauds CPSC Decision on Hearing Aid Battery Packaging

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has heeded calls by ASHA [PDF] and others to defer enforcement of provisions [PDF] for a consumer safety law that could have inadvertently restricted access to hearing aid batteries.

The provisions, which mandate federal safety requirements for zinc-air button cell and coin batteries, are part of Reese’s Law [PDF] and include new packaging requirements on certain small batteries—including those used for hearing aids—that could be harmful when ingested.

Battery manufacturers raised concerns about meeting the new packaging requirements by the implementation date on February 12, 2023, and that access to hearing aid batteries could be impacted without CPSC action.

ASHA urged CPSC to issue guidance ensuring the law would not create barriers to accessing hearing aid batteries and shared concerns to Congress, which encouraged the Commission to address stakeholder concerns.

What’s next?

The CPSC has exercised its enforcement discretion to delay the packaging requirements until March 8, 2024. ASHA will continue monitoring implementation to ensure hearing aid batteries remain available and encourage packaging requirements that protect consumer safety and access.

Questions?

Contact Jerry White, ASHA's director of federal and political affairs, at jwhite@asha.org.