Skip to content
HearingTracker
Log in

Petition the senators who sponsored Reece's law (difficult hearing aid battery packaging)

22 replies1.1k viewsLast reply

Jump
Link to this topic
Reply

I decided to start my own petition on Change.org141 that is a bit more targeted than the previous petition I came across (which targeted Trump). My petition will try to get the attention of the bill’s lead sponsors, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). There are already two other petitions being passed around, but neither has taken off, and I think what’s missing is a better summary of the issue, more actionable outcomes, and targeting the correct policymakers. I also wanted to see a petition that honored Reese Hamsmith, the child who inspired the bill, given the sensitivity of this issue. I do believe this is simply a situation of good intentions, and a positive first step, but there is clearly a need to revisit this law.

Here’s my petition. I’ve quoted a few of you :slight_smile:

Sign the Petition

Help Seniors Hear Again: Stop Impossible Battery Packaging!

Thank you.
Abram

14 people in this conversation6 min readJump to latest

Try to imagine yourself with impaired vision, bad arthritis where using scissors was painful or perhaps inability to use a hand due to having had a stroke. Since the change in packaging serves no useful purpose, why not fix it?

In reply to #2

I don’t have any problems with the packaging either because I don’t use button cells, and if I did I still have sufficient dexterity to deal with the packaging. However, I try to practice the golden rule, and if I were or become one of those who’s struggling with the packaging, I’d hope that others would help me out if they could. The law as it applies to hearing aid batteries is a solution in search of a problem. It needs to be fixed, and signing the petition is the least any compassionate person can do. Alas, compassion in the US is at a low ebb these days on countless fronts.

Thanks, Abram. Good idea.

I manhandle the Costco battery package, so I get the batteries out pretty easily, but I’d hate to have to do it, say, in the middle of a bike ride. I guess I could plan to replace batteries every week or so, but that would mean giving up more than a little battery charge. Sometimes I get a week from 13s; sometimes I get closer to 2 weeks.

The method Ray-O-Vac pushes eaves shards of sharp plastic to be dealt with. My Costco batteries seem to have the same process in mind. It’s a PITA. And it’s not necessary.

This administration is intent on dismantling regulations, after all.

In reply to @Dusty

The US is in the process of self-destruction. “low ebb” on countless fronts indeed. I fear this country will never recover. I’m a natural born American citizen and have seen countless rotten politicians come and go over but THIS? Nothing has come close. I’m urging my children to formulate some sort of exit strategy. I’m too old to do so.

It looks like the bill sponsors STILL have not responded. They obviously did no research on the ramifications of this ridiculous packaging. They need to be impeached. Do all members of Congress use auto pens and are there just for the paycheck?

I’ve dropped more batteries onto the floor than I ever have before this asinine law. The chances of a kid getting access to a battery will INCREASE. What a joke.

The Senate doesn’t have to be involved. The law leaves the status of zinc-air batteries up to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an independent agency whose commissioners are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. So, the CPSC made the decision to include zinc-air batteries in the final regulation, and they can decide to exclude them.

I will give $50 for a half dozen of the old style spin packs if anyone has them!

My batteries lasted so long that I didn’t need new ones until recently. I didn’t know about this change or I would have saved all of my old packs. Ugh!

I see there are 2400 signatures to this petition today. Seems like a low number considering the number of people with hearing loss. Please sign the petition if you haven’t done so already

DONE and DONATED. Dang worthy cause! Right now, I’m squirreling away my Duracell 6-battery and 8-battery packs. I’ve got about 6 of ‘em. If I’m 70 right now, and take care of these plastic battery cases, I might die before they all break on me over time.

Great idea to at least go after the (unresponsive!) Congress-folks. If nothing else, we flag the fact that it’s still an issue for about 1 million of us battery-users, vs one young, un-parented child who died eating these small batteries. I’d say we should get a hearing on the topic.

That little girl did not swallow a hearing aid battery. What she did was open her parents TV remote and took out a CR-2032 battery, which is about the size of a quarter, and put it in her mouth and eventually swallowed it. It became lodged in her trachea and short circuited, causing a severe burn. She was taken to the hospital and was there for 40 days before she passed away. It is believed her death was due to the medical care she received rather than the incident with the battery.

And that is why we have to fight with this stupid packaging.

In reply to @Dave4

Hi Dave,

HearingTracker is selling them right here.

Batteries in the old fashioned packaging.

They have them in size 10 , 13, 312 and 675

In reply to @ronshere

I’m well aware. There’s been zero deaths from zinc air batteries. Reeses law wouldn’t have saved Reese Hamsmith’s life. Her parents were irresponsible and blame a battery for their own negligence. It’s sickening the entire population pays for a death that could’ve been prevented with a simple act of proper parental supervision. I’m appalled there was no CPS investigation

Edited

I might have written this in the other thread (or some other forum)- If you can you might be able to check with Audio Clinics or audiologists to see if they have any battery packs with the little door on the back. My Audiology clinic had a bunch of boxes (10 packages to a box) that they gave me.. size 13- 30.00 then when I got the new hearing aids a box was included (same- 10 to a box). I also got super lucky earlier this year when my sis got a bunch of the size 13 battery packs (not sealed tighter than a drum) at a discount- I think I have 1 package left lol.

And gee/boo Oticon- their packages are tamper resistants (2 packs 6 batteries each).

Petition signed (6,442 total)!

And I remembered that I posted in the Hearing Aids reddit about the pesky packaging- I have a pic but couldn't post it there.

Here's what it looked like-

Left side- old Duracell spin wheel container opens on the front

Right side- Walgreens brand battery pack in the new format sealed tighter than Fort Knox- took me 10-15 minutes to get it open with scissors. My strength is still good (I think) but the plastic was thick and stubborn.

Two hearing aid battery packages in front of a keyboard. Left- white old Duracell spin wheel container with 5 size 13 batteries, Right- Walgreens pack- sealed tighter than Fort Knox- look like after opening it with scissors for 10 minutes.

Related discussions