The U.S. Postal Service will refuse to ship devices containing lithium-ion batteries, such as cell phones, laptops, or e-readers to overseas addresses as of May 16, the USPS said.
The restrictions will also ban those same devices from being shipped to APO, FPO, and DPO locations, the shorthand for overseas Army, Air Force, or Navy post offices, as well as diplomatic posts.
The USPS has also banned the lithium-ion batteries and cells from being sent separately, according to a revision notice posted by the USPS. The ban includes video cameras, GPS devices, cameras, feature and smartphones, MP3 players, laptop computers, GPS devices, and even smaller gadgets like Bluetooth headsets and electric shavers, according to Fast Company, which reported the story earlier.
Lithium-ion batteries, cells, and the devices that contain them will still be able to be shipped domestically during those times, the USPS said.
However, the USPS said that it anticipates that international standards to mail Li-ion batteries that are properly installed within electronic devices will be able to be shipped by Jan. 1, 2013, based on discussions that it has had with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU).
Until that time, customers including military personnel will have to turn to private carriers. FedEx SmartPost delivers to APO/FPO/DPO locations, but the liability for packages is only $100 - a problem with pricey electronics. However, the UPS does not ship to APO and FPO addresses, and neither does DHL. Unfortunately, services like APOBox also use the USPS as an intermediary, so they will be affected by the changes as well.
The USPS restrictions define lithium-ion batteries as "dangerous goods," under the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Technical Instructions.
In April 2011, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a rule barring the Obama administration from imposing limits on shipments of lithium-ion batteries by air. A proposed rule by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the FAA would have eliminated exceptions for small lithium batteries, classifying them as "Class 9" hazardous cargo, and requiring a number of labeling and other safety regulations.
The proposed rule noted that 21 out of 44 incidents involving lithium batteries since 1991 on U.S. flights involved passenger aircraft; of those, 16 involved carry-on luggage, and one involved checked baggage. Twenty-three incidents involved cargo aircraft, presumably in pallets of batteries being transported by air.
In November, an Australian flight crew extinguished a smoking, glowing iPhone after a REX flight from Lismore to Sydney had landed.
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