How to send Li-ion batteries within the UK..?

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stevewestern

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I have a few li-ion camera batteries that I want to sell so will want to post them alone, ie not fitted to a camera or grip.
My local PO suggested that I post them singly in a jiffy envelope as they don't need to ask what the contents are.....
I'd be slightly happier to wrap them more thoroughly and use a courier but it seems that most no longer take them.

I have done a search on here and the last thread was 3 years ago, and things may have changed - anyone know what the up-to-date situation is ?

The thing that is confusing is that I have just ordered a new li-ion for my camera which is being shipped to me on its own, so clearly there must be a legitimate way...
 
My Local PO , when presented with a jiffy bag always , without fail , demands to know EXACTLY what is in it
 
camerassassin said:
My Local PO , when presented with a jiffy bag always , without fail , demands to know EXACTLY what is in it
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..and it was for that very reason I went in, plonked a battery on the counter and asked them. All 3 members of staff said the same thing, despite it being, to my understanding of the laws, against the law..!
They said that they had no reason to ask about the contents as if it didn't matter. They actually got a small jiffy bag, put the battery in it and measures it in that 'slot' thing they have.
I'm curious to see how my new battery arrives but it would be good to hear what experiences people have had on here
.
 
The person at the post office has misinformed you. Batteries on their own are prohibited in the Royal Mail system and they will destroy them if they find them.
You may get lucky, but it's a gamble.

We sell laptop batteries and we advise customers who need to return batteries to us to use collect plus. you can book the delivery online and drop it at a local drop point. They don't ask questions and we've never had a customer that's had a problem returning a battery to us using them.
 
It's a right pain in the bum. We sell thing with li-ion batteries built in (nothing electrical exposed and securely packed against damage) and are going to have to send someone on a "hazardous goods handling" course so the courier can come and inspect our processes before they will agree to take them.
 
I had a live chat with Collect Plus some time ago and asked about sending batteries through them. This was tgheir nreply:

As long as the batteries are packaged correctly, ie well wrapped and packaged, and that they have a warning sticker on the outside of the packaging to show that the parcel contains batteries then it will be ok to send them.
 
ecoleman said:
The person at the post office has misinformed you. Batteries on their own are prohibited in the Royal Mail system and they will destroy them if they find them.
You may get lucky, but it's a gamble.

We sell laptop batteries and we advise customers who need to return batteries to us to use collect plus. you can book the delivery online and drop it at a local drop point. They don't ask questions and we've never had a customer that's had a problem returning a battery to us using them.
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Thanks Elliott - Your replies to the last thread about this problem are in part why I had to ask again, and it just seems to odd that there are so many different answers. Do you advise customers to use a sticker or just post their batteries off and keep quiet ?

Al1944 said:
I had a live chat with Collect Plus some time ago and asked about sending batteries through them. This was tgheir nreply:

As long as the batteries are packaged correctly, ie well wrapped and packaged, and that they have a warning sticker on the outside of the packaging to show that the parcel contains batteries then it will be ok to send them.
Click to expand...
to this.
I'll look into where I can get the stickers from and get my batteries up in the for sale section soon !
 
stevewestern said:
Thanks Elliott - Your replies to the last thread about this problem are in part why I had to ask again, and it just seems to odd that there are so many different answers. Do you advise customers to use a sticker or just post their batteries off and keep quiet ?


to this.
I'll look into where I can get the stickers from and get my batteries up in the for sale section soon !
Click to expand...

We've never asked our customer to use a sticker and I don't think we've ever had any returned with one on them. As I said the people in the shops where you drop off the parcel aren't interested what's in the parcel they are just shop owners / staff.
 
would the Royal Mail use planes to ensure fast delivery ,that might explain it
 
the black fox said:
would the Royal Mail use planes to ensure fast delivery ,that might explain it
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Correct,

Taken from the Royal mail website :-

Batteries that are classed as dangerous goods by the latest edition of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Technical Instructions are prohibited. This includes wet spillable lead acid/lead alkaline batteries (such as car batteries), used alkaline metal, nickel metal hydride (NiMH), nickel cadmium (NiCd), zinc-air batteries, and damaged batteries of any type.

Lithium ion/polymer/metal/alloy batteries when not sent with, or contained in/connected to an electronic device, are prohibited.

Lithium ion/polymer/metal/alloy batteries are allowed when sent with or contained in/connected to an electronic device, but are subject to packaging, volume and quantity restrictions.

For more information on lithium batteries please see the IATA Lithium Battery Guidance Documentopens in new window.

Sealed lead acid batteries are allowed in the UK, but are also subject to packaging, volume, quantity and labelling restrictions.

Alkaline metal, nickel metal hydride (NiMH) and nickel cadmium (NiCd) batteries may only be sent when new and in their original packaging.

Classified in the latest edition of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Technical Instructionsopens in new window.
 
Maybe a stupid question, but why are lithium batteries deemed safe to post when they’re inside a device?
 
boogie man said:
Maybe a stupid question, but why are lithium batteries deemed safe to post when they’re inside a device?
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Because they are secure and the terminals can't be shorted out accidentally I reckon

Whenever I have sent something with a battery, told the post office counter staff and they print out a warning label to stick on the parcel
If they scan the parcel and see an illicit battery it will be destroyed, happened to at least one person on here.

Knowing not declaring it could potentially cause an accident, why not abide with the rules.
 
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tijuana taxi said:
Because they are secure and the terminals can't be shorted out accidentally I reckon

Whenever I have sent something with a battery, told the post office counter staff and they print out a warning label to stick on the parcel
If they scan the parcel and see an illicit battery it will be destroyed, happened to at least one person on here.

Knowing not declaring it could potentially cause an accident, why not abide with the rules.
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Ah yes, makes sense. Ta for the info. ;)
 
I assume if royal fail banned anything that contained a li-ion batter they would go out of business overnight.
so they just ban batteries on their own as that is where the greater risk is.
 
Mr Bump said:
I assume if royal fail banned anything that contained a li-ion batter they would go out of business overnight.
so they just ban batteries on their own as that is where the greater risk is.
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It's not really the Royal mail that actually bans items like these, it's the CAA, even if I went to my local post office and popped a package that contained restricted items, from say Birmingham to Newcastle, there's no guarantee that they would be transported by road, even inland post can sometimes end up on an aircraft.
 
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