Parents Warned vs. Button Batteries in Toys

BUTTON BATTERY RISKS. The EcoWaste Coalition on Monday (Dec. 1, 2025) says button batteries found in children’s toys can cause severe injuries when swallowed or inserted into noses and ears. Such batteries are also found in watches, hair accessories and portable devices, among others. (PNA)

Parents are cautioned against the dangers posed by button batteries found in many children’s toys and household items, emphasizing the need for vigilance as holiday gift-giving approaches.

Environmental health group EcoWaste Coalition said button batteries can cause severe injuries if swallowed or inserted into the nose or ears as they may be mistaken for candy or play objects.

These are found in toys, hair accessories, wristwatches, calculators, thermometers and other portable devices.

“Parents must keep button batteries out of children’s sight and reach at all times,” the group said in an advisory Monday.

The reminder followed the group’s monitoring of unauthorized light-up toys sold for PHP50 to PHP75 in Quiapo, Manila.

The items reportedly lacked hazard warnings and other mandatory labeling required under Republic Act 10620 or the Toy and Game Safety Labeling Act.

Citing medical data, the EcoWaste Coalition said ingesting button batteries can cause chemical burns when lodged in the throat.

Batteries inserted into the nose may injure the mucous membranes and damage bone or cartilage, while those placed inside the ear canal can lead to hearing loss, eardrum perforation and facial nerve paralysis.

The Food and Drug Administration, in its Button Batteries Fact Sheet, lists symptoms of ingestion such as unusual gagging or drooling, loss of appetite, coughing, vomiting, unexplained fever, chest pain, abdominal discomfort and breathing difficulties.

Signs of insertion into the nose or ears include bleeding, foul discharge and irritation.

To prevent poisoning incidents, the group urged consumers to avoid buying toys with loosely installed batteries, unregistered products or those without proper labels.

Parents are encouraged to choose toys with battery compartments secured by screws and to read safety precautions carefully.

Other safety tips include keeping old and new button batteries out of children’s reach, avoiding battery replacement in front of young children, ensuring batteries are mercury-free, and storing spent batteries in sealed childproof containers.

The EcoWaste Coalition reiterated that used batteries should not be thrown in regular trash and should instead be brought to designated e-waste drop-off points.

“If a button battery is swallowed or inserted in the ear or nose, immediately contact the nearest poison control center or the National Poison Management and Control Center (NPMCC),” it said.

The NPMCC reported that button battery ingestion ranked among the top 10 causes of poisoning in pediatric in-patient referrals in 2023. (PNA)