Starting from June 28th, the new regulations for power banks issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China have been fully implemented: power banks without 3C labels, unclear 3C labels, recalled models or batches are prohibited from being carried on domestic flights. In recent days, this safety ban on power banks has continued to attract attention on social media platforms. Why is the Civil Aviation Administration cracking down on power banks? What does the 3C logo mean? What is the impact of the new regulations on the power bank industry? The reporter conducted interviews and research. Since the beginning of this year, multiple flights from Hangzhou to Hong Kong and Zhoushan to Jieyang have experienced incidents of passengers carrying lithium battery products such as power banks catching fire and emitting smoke. In this context, the Civil Aviation Administration of China has further implemented stricter control measures in accordance with the internationally recognized Technical Regulations for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. Recently, multiple brands of power bank manufacturers have recalled multiple batches of products due to safety risks in their battery cells. Certification agencies have also revoked or suspended the 3C certification certificates of multiple power bank and battery cell manufacturers in accordance with the law. Anke Innovation Technology Co., Ltd., which has recalled a large number of power banks, announced in a statement that during a recent quality and safety inspection, it was found that some batches of industry-specific battery cells from a certain supplier had unauthorized changes in raw materials, which may lead to the failure of diaphragm insulation in a very small number of products after long-term cyclic use, thereby causing safety hazards such as overheating and even combustion. Some unqualified power banks have hidden dangers such as raw material safety, and there is a risk of lithium battery overheating when used on airplanes. Accidental collision and compression may result in combustion or even explosion. If passengers carry such power banks on board, it will pose a risk to the safe operation of civil aviation. ”Han Tao, an expert from the Civil Aviation New Think Tank, said. In the past, China strictly prohibited civil aviation passengers from carrying power banks in checked baggage, and they could only carry them in hand luggage or carry them with them. The use of power banks was prohibited throughout the entire flight. At the same time, it is required that power banks must indicate their rated energy and comply with regulations. According to the new regulations of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, all power banks that can board must pass the 3C certification, and their bodies must have clear and complete "CCC" markings. Unlabeled, worn, or unidentifiable power banks are prohibited from boarding. In addition, it is strictly prohibited to carry any power banks that involve recalled models or batches. According to announcements from the State Administration for Market Regulation and related enterprises, currently only two brands, Romans and Anke Innovation, have recalled over 1.2 million power banks. The reporter noticed that there are differences in the qualification assessment systems of various countries, and some cross-border travelers have doubts and confusion about the new regulations. Some passengers have reported that power banks with international markings such as CE (EU Market Compliance Mark) can board international flights, but they are banned from domestic flights due to the lack of CCC markings. It is reported that Compulsory Certification (CCC) is a market access system implemented by the Chinese government in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and international practices, based on the principles of marketization and internationalization, for products related to personal health and safety. Industry experts told reporters that both 3C and CE are conformity assessment marks, with 3C being China's mandatory product certification and CE being the EU's conformity assessment system. Generally, countries have similar qualification assessment systems that use third-party evaluation to implement market access management for products related to safety, health, environmental protection and other regulatory requirements, such as Japan's PSE certification, South Korea's KC certification, etc. However, the qualification assessment systems of different countries may have certain differences due to the different standards they are based on, and the results are not directly recognized by each other. Entering the relevant national market must comply with the qualification assessment requirements of that country. For example, products entering the EU market must bear the CE mark, while entering the Chinese market requires the 3C mark. Experts also pointed out that due to the potential risks associated with the chemical properties of power banks, thermal runaway can easily occur when the production process and structure of the product do not meet national standards and other technical requirements, leading to safety issues such as fire, explosion, overheating, or liquid leakage. Therefore, China strictly manages them. As early as 2015, China issued the first national mandatory standard for mobile power banks, "Safety Requirements for Lithium ion Batteries and Battery Packs for Portable Electronic Products". In September 2022, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Management System in the Electronic and Electrical Industry", which clearly requires that lithium batteries and mobile power supplies with high safety risks be included in the mandatory product certification management. According to the opinion, the State Administration for Market Regulation will issue a notice in 2023 on the implementation of mandatory product certification management for lithium-ion batteries and other products. Starting from August 1, 2023, CCC certification management will be implemented for lithium-ion batteries, battery packs, and mobile power banks. Starting from August 1, 2024, those who have not obtained the CCC certification certificate and marked the certification mark are not allowed to leave the factory, sell, import or use it in other business activities. The reporter's research found that in order to give enterprises time to adjust processes and product design, apply for testing and certification, etc., this policy has reserved a one-year transition period. During the transition period, non CCC certified power bank products that have already been produced are allowed to continue selling before August 1, 2024. The regulatory upgrade focused on power banks, which forces the industry chain to firmly guard the safety bottom line, will also drive the transformation and upgrading of related industry chains. Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation has fully launched the national supervision and spot check work for product quality in 2025. It will conduct national supervision and spot checks on 164 products, including encrypted spot checks on power bank products, increasing the number of batches, and timely disposal of unqualified products in accordance with the law. In June of this year, in response to multiple incidents of power bank fires in student dormitories, several universities in Beijing explicitly banned the use of Roma power banks, mainly due to their serious safety hazards. Beijing Union University laboratory testing found that a 20000mAh model power bank involved had a peak internal temperature of 98 ℃ and an electrolyte leakage rate of 17% when overcharged. It is worth noting that the company admitted in its product recall announcement that the unqualified raw materials of the battery cells caused a very small number of products to overheat and burn. According to industry disclosures, the brand of battery cells used in the recalled products is from Amperex (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. The reporter found from the National Certification and Accreditation Information Public Service Platform of the State Administration for Market Regulation that the relevant CCC certification certificates of Anpuris have been "suspended" or "revoked", involving products such as "rechargeable lithium-ion batteries", "lithium-ion batteries" and "rechargeable polymer lithium-ion batteries". The reporter learned from the State Administration for Market Regulation that the market supervision department will investigate the defects of other power banks using Ampris batteries. The battery cell is the main component of a power bank. This incident also exposed the deep-seated problems of low price competition in the industry. Industry insiders say that the quality of battery cells in the current market is uneven, and some power bank manufacturers are desperately lowering raw material costs in pursuit of profits, even using inferior or second-hand battery cells. Some power banks only connect a few battery cells in parallel or series, which can easily cause short circuits, electrolyte leakage, and even spontaneous combustion under overcharging and high temperature conditions. Various parties have expressed that a series of safety incidents involving power banks have exposed problems such as extensive development and "low price competition" in the industry. It is necessary to better coordinate development and safety, and producers and sellers should effectively shoulder their product quality responsibilities and obligations. Safety standards, technological innovation, market supervision, and other aspects should work together to ensure more stable and reliable power bank products, better protect public safety and personal safety of the public, and better meet market demand. (New Society)