USPS Banning International Shipments Of Battery Powered Items May 16th

[dopeh]

USPS Banning International Shipments of Most Battery-Powered Gadgets May 16

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 Organiza*tion (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......

Full Story

 

[ChellyNelly]

I can see how this will affect people's willingness (in the classies, for example) to ship to Canada, but the people who already know the ins and outs will do the same thing they do with everything else and declare it as something else.

 

[martinc]

Says oversea,so no problem for us.

 

[ChellyNelly]

It says international and overseas, so it would affect us.

 

[martinc]

It says international and overseas, so it would affect us.

I read a header that is phrased wrong and only a mention of overseas my dear

Its a new aircraft regulation,ground is not concerned.

 

[Toronto_Mike]

The full story seems to be unclear to me and all over the place. I take it the issue to be lithium-ion batteries catching fire while in the air? Seems to be a cry for wolf due to a few isolated incidents. If there was real cause for change - all air carriers would have regulations set. Lithium-ion batteries have been commercially available since 1999.

Instead of justing banning, create a way of identifying packages that contain li-io devices & batteries, charge a surcharge & safely store them in a fire proof box in the plane's cargo area.

There are never problems - just solutions

 

[Squish]

That's weird, as far as aircraft regulation/safety, cause I can still bring all my ecig stuff, laptop, camera batteries on an airCanada flight

 

[martinc]

could be a terrorism thing too

 

[martinc]

Anyways,I guess we`ll need something else than lithium-ion batts

 

[ukeman]

wonder does that include other chemistry... is IMR a Li Ion? i kind of don't think so...

 

[encee_rz]

Dammit! How am I supposed to get my "personal massagers" now!

 

[martinc]

Dammit! How am I supposed to get my "personal massagers" now!

mopar`s for rent

 

[ChellyNelly]

To answer Uke, AW batts are Li-Mn, so you're correct

 

[DemonCleaner]

could be a terrorism thing too

Thanks alot bin laden.

 

[drac]

That is very bad news for me. I need a few lipo packs for some new rc stuff. Guess I will have the slowest Truggy on the track.
Drac

 

[WolfeReign]

Thanks alot bin laden.

From what i read of the news so far, It was just last year (correct me if i am wrong) that (let me choose my words wisely) the al-qaeda tried to ship a few bombs via ups disguised as printer cartridges (it was undisclosed if they were for industrial or personal), that where either to be detonated over USA air space, or once they were installed into printers

Then later last week, they found either a shipment or someone with it -- either way they found ingredients and a made bomb in ladies and mens underwear, by suicide bombers i believe and/or shipment again via UPS -- and yes i know the jokes are there about undies and bombs....

Even Canada post had cancelled all shipments to the east, and are now re-allowing them (with free shipment for those cancelled packages how nice )

Now this is pure speculation, and i know i am going to sound like a rambling nut ball, but i imagine with the Olympics getting set up in London, i am sure the ...umm.... not so nice same people had something planned that was not told about in the media

 

[Misfit]

So this covers at least half of what people buy online. Just another reason to avoid USPS?

 

[WolfeReign]

So this covers at least half of what people buy online. Just another reason to avoid USPS?

And their stellar award winning customer service? =D
i say more power to UPS going down

 

[ukeman]

And their stellar award winning customer service? =D
i say more power to UPS going down

do you mean usps or ups?
how would you like to rely on UPS to mail your letters to gramma in another state? (for usa residents).
For what the USPS does and what it;s revenue source is, they do a damn good job, altho this is an international shipping issue, USPS is being politically sabotaged and in threat of being shut down. Think what that would do to millions upon millions who rely on this cheap source of shipping.
Try buying a $6. atomizer and asking for shipping through anything other than usps....

 

[martinc]

And paying $45 broker fees everytime you need something only available in the USA?

No thanks.

It equals to closing the market door to external business.