Flammability of Lithium-Ion Batteries and the Possibility of a Major Accident

By replacing one technology with another, people try to enhance the current solution or they try to meet new legal requirements by imposing restrictions on current solutions. This happens more and more often in an attempt to reduce threats to both the natural and the working environment. Lithium-ion batteries, or energy banks, are among the solutions that have generated considerable controversy due to their flammability and fire hazards. It is worth noting that neither rechargeable batteries nor energy banks are hazardous substances under EU regulations, i.e. Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (so-called CLP Regulation). Therefore, they are not directly covered by the requirements of the directive 2012/18/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (so-called Seveso III Directive) as dangerous substances. The chemicals used in lithium-ion batteries, however, have hazardous properties. These include substances with acute toxic effects (e.g., lithium chloride, thionyl dichloride, cobalt oxide). Some substances can also form flammable gases when in contact with water (Water-react. 1, H260). The composition of batteries is manufacturer-specific. The properties of the substances present in them mean that in the event of improper handling/use, failures can occur, leading to fire, explosion or release of hazardous substances. In a major accident situation, substances present in lithium-ion batteries can contribute to the formation of flammable gases that can spontaneously combust or gases with toxic effects from inhalation, including hydrogen fluoride (Acute Tox. 2; H330 - Acute Toxicity Category 2; inhalation is fatal), hydrogen chloride, etc. Obviously, the kind of substances formed as a result of a major accident depends on the composition of the lithium-ion batteries. The article attempts to determine the correlation between the substances present in a product (a battery) and the hazardous substances that may be generated by a fire in the product, with reference to the definition of the presence of a dangerous substances set forth in no 12 of Article 4 of the Seveso III Directive.