Canada tightens safety requirements for button or coin cell batteries

On September 18, 2026, Health Canada updated the provisions concerning product prohibitions under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA). Following the update, consumer products containing button or coin batteries, as well as packaging for button or coin batteries, were added to the relevant list of consumer products deemed to pose a danger to human health or safety under the CCPSA.

Button and coin batteries pose a serious ingestion hazard, particularly to infants and young children. If lodged in the esophagus, stomach, or gastrointestinal tract, a battery may come into contact with saliva and bodily tissues, generating an electrical current that can cause chemical burns. In the moist and acidic environment of the body, the battery may also corrode or rupture and release chemical substances. If medical attention is not provided promptly, the resulting injury may worsen rapidly—potentially within two hours—and may become life-threatening.

Under the applicable requirements, businesses must not manufacture, import, advertise, or sell products containing button or coin batteries, including their packaging, unless the products comply with the applicable standards set out in the table below.

CTT Note

Manufacturers, importers, advertisers, and retailers must ensure that their products comply with the applicable requirements. Hazardous products that do not meet the applicable standards or equivalent standards must not be manufactured, imported, advertised, or sold in Canada. In addition, businesses are reminded that, beyond compliance with the button/coin battery standards, they should also review their products for any other potential safety hazards.