Sending a powerbank in the UK

[youradds]

Hi,

What are the rules around sending a PowerBank charger in the post in the UK? I just had a customer say that he tried to send one back for a replacement, to be told he couldn't post it as it was a PowereBank! The battery is inside a solid metal container, and has just as much chance of exploding as a laptop. I appreciate the rules are different when sending via airmail, but what on earth is the problem sending them by road inside the UK?

Was this a mistake the branch, or is this indeed the case now? If so, how do you suppose we post them? He had to use DHL to send (which ironically uses the exact same methods of sending post around the UK, so its got to be legal and ok to do so)

Thanks for your time

Andy

[Snaggletooth]

Royal Mail send some domestic mail by air, so all domestic mail is subject to the same rules as airmail.

Power banks are classified as lithium batteries by Royal Mail. They can be sent in the mail subject to various packaging requirements - note that these rules are more strict than for batteries inside equipment (e.g. sending a mobile phone).

But faulty lithium batteries are banned from the mail. So, depending on the exact circumstances and interpretation of the rules, the clerk may have been correct to refuse the items. Subtle differences in the conversation and interpretation of the rules could easily have lead to a different result at DHL.

[youradds]

Royal Mail send some domestic mail by air, so all domestic mail is subject to the same rules as airmail.

Power banks are classified as lithium batteries by Royal Mail. They can be sent in the mail subject to various packaging requirements - note that these rules are more strict than for batteries inside equipment (e.g. sending a mobile phone).

But faulty lithium batteries are banned from the mail. So, depending on the exact circumstances and interpretation of the rules, the clerk may have been correct to refuse the items. Subtle differences in the conversation and interpretation of the rules could easily have lead to a different result at DHL.

Ah ok thanks for the clarification. I wasn't aware that domestic post was sent via air for some UK. I guess it makes sense if you need to shift parcels from one end of the country to another quickly

[Foxel]

I know this is an old thread but it came up high in a Google search and the information given is no longer correct.

The Royal Mail website states that power banks cannot be sent.

Batteries that are classified as dangerous goods by the latest edition of the Technical Instructions for Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air published by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) including wet spillable lead acid/ lead alkaline batteries (such as car batteries), lithium batteries when not sent with or contained in equipment, used alkaline metal, nickel metal hydride (NiMH), nickel cadmium (NiCd) and zinc-air batteries, and damaged batteries of any type. Please note this includes power banks.

International - Not allowed in the mail
UK - Not allowed in the mail

[Snaggletooth]

You are correct, RM did change the rules. Probably worth saying that much of the advice in this forum is now out of date because services and rules change over time!