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ABC News
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- ABC News
NSW government pushes back e-bike certification fine after industry 'confusion'
A safety requirement deadline for e-bikes that some believed would threaten food delivery, tourism and consumer options in NSW has been pushed back after outcry from the industry. Fines of up to $825,000 were meant to commence from August 1 for manufacturers and suppliers who did not have e-bike models and parts certified on time — including lithium-ion batteries or chargers. The new product standards introduced earlier this year were a nationwide first to tackle fire risk, also applying to hire e-bikes and similar micromobility products like e-scooters or skateboards. But stakeholders argued there would be adverse effects from the "unrealistic accreditation deadlines" and said the bigger concerns were homemade kits, illegal imported e-bikes and poor quality versions being bought online or overseas. Retailer 99 Bikes began clearing stock in preparation, while US manufacturer Trek said it would have been forced to withdraw from sales in NSW in order to comply by the original date. After some pressure, the NSW government quietly announced last week the cut-off was postponed until next February. Here's how the new date will affect customers trying to buy or rent e-bikes in the state. Like dishwashers or hair dryers, e-bikes must now meet international electrical standards and be approved before sale. NSW Fair Trading said the new standards — including providing information about safe use, storage, charging and disposal — would help ensure only compliant products were available on the market. Regulation and Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said it would also crack down on fires sparked by low quality batteries. According to Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW), there have been 166 lithium-ion-related incidents in the state so far this year. General manager of Bicycle Industry Australia Peter Bourke said the government's "one size fits all" approach bunched together "good quality" e-bikes with "lower end" alternatives. "This declared articles framework the New South Wales government utilises has been designed around household goods," he said. "They've actually compared e-bikes to the same electrical frameworks as toasters and electric blankets." After receiving feedback, NSW Fair Trading said consultation concerns included "delays in obtaining test reports, costs associated with testing, and confusion around the scope" of the process. Applying for certification with the consumer regulator costs about $1,200 per bike, but additional lab testing can be over $20,000 per model and take up to six months, Mr Bourke said. "The challenge is not about meeting the certification, it's about going through the testing protocols," he said. Chief executive of 99 Bikes, Andrew Garnsworthy said the chain was supportive of the "overall objective to have high quality e-bikes and a reduction in e-bike battery fires". He said the initial "unrealistic accreditation deadlines" would have led to safer models being pulled from the market. In turn, Mr Garnsworthy said consumers could resort to lower quality alternatives available online from overseas, which could "backfire and unfortunately increase the amount of battery fires". He welcomed the "sensible" extension, but said the testing costs, even pushed back, could "increase the costs of e-bikes in NSW" for consumers. Outdoors NSW said at the start of July that the implementation would "devastate cycle tourism, force business closures, and risk millions of dollars in government investment in regional adventure tourism". This is because hire e-bikes, used by tour companies and in food delivery, were not exempt from the certification rules. "Good quality hire bikes for food delivery … operate on a monthly hire process," Mr Bourke said. "So those [third party companies] wouldn't have been able to hire their product out either, and so the gig economy workers would also have been messed up." A spokesperson for NSW Fair Trading said the cost of certification was "expected to be borne by manufacturers, with small businesses primarily responsible for verifying that the products they sell are compliant". "Matters relating to illegally imported bikes fall under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Government," they said. NSW Fair Trading confirmed the new compliance deadline came after "feedback from industry stakeholders". "Despite the extension, all declared e-micromobility products must continue to meet the prescribed safety standards and NSW Fair Trading will maintain active market surveillance and enforcement action against suppliers found selling non-compliant products," the spokesperson said. Mr Bourke said for customers hoping to buy or upgrade their e-bike next month, it would be "business as usual". "Brands are looking to certify their product as fast as possible and over the coming months there will be an ability to replace stock," he said. Smaller fines of up to $5,500 will still be enforced on August 1 for suppliers who do not provide clear and accurate safety information alongside products. The final piece of the puzzle is the introduction of mandatory labelling, which is also set to kick off next February.
CBC
06-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
'Nothing grew': 4 southwest Sask. municipalities declare states of emergency due to drought
Social Sharing Several rural municipalities (RMs) in southwest Saskatchewan have declared states of emergency due to drought. The RMs of Maple Creek, Fox Valley, Enterprise and Waverly all say the lack of moisture poses a high fire risk and that many farmers are struggling to make feed for their livestock. "This spring has been the worst drought that we've lived through in our 33 years," said Corinne Gibson, who owns Six Mile Ranch near Lafleche, Sask., with her husband Clayton. Corinne said it was clear by early May that their 4,500-hectare ranch was "in trouble" from the lack of moisture. "Nothing even started, nothing grew." Corinne said. They started seeding hay over the May-long weekend. Four weeks later, "it couldn't grow anymore. It was just trying to stay alive, but it couldn't get any taller," Clayton said. He said their crops only grew to be six to eight inches tall this year, about a foot less than previous years. Crops are usually cut and bailed or made into silage to feed cattle over the winter, but in this case "that's not existent," Corinne said. As a result, the majority of the cattle have been moved to their hay land to graze the small amounts of grass left over from last winter. Other feed has to be purchased from other farms. "Financially it's challenging," Corinne said. "We're talking hundreds and hundreds of thousands, if not closer to $1 million, for us to replace all of that feed that we would normally produce ourselves." With only two bouts of rain this season, the Gibsons are now having to take more drastic measures to feed their livestock. Corinne said they have transported more than 500 cattle to a farm in Weyburn, where there is more grass available. She said a move like that is risky. "Hauling those cattle those 300 kilometres, you know, we risk them losing their pregnancies because they are bred females," she said, adding that those long trips are extremely stressful for the animals. The Gibsons aren't the only ones who have had bad production this year. Corinne said many of the producers in her community have "wasted" a large amount of their seeds, fertilizers and chemicals due to the drought. "You have to be resilient as a farmer," Corinne said. "But we don't know how many more years of this kind of situation that a lot of our neighbours and friends can actually live through." Government provides crop insurance The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) will be implementing a double low-yield appraisal process this year to support Saskatchewan producers impacted by poor weather conditions. It is also encouraging low-yielding eligible crops to be diverted to make additional feed available for silage, grazing or bales. "I fully realize the dry conditions [producers] are going through," Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Dayle Harrison said. Minister Harrison said the new low-yield threshold will allow producers to salvage the crops they do have. "That's important feed that livestock producers will require in these dry conditions," he said. Rainfall insurance is also available to eligible producers, with payments expected as early as mid-July. Harrison said these types of business risk management programs are always a "first line of defence," but that the government can make changes. "We're always open to hearing producers' concerns," he said. " We'll be here to support producers." Latest crop report The province's latest crop report, released Thursday, says many areas in the southern parts of the province have received limited rainfall, putting further stress on crops. The report found that all crops have developed ahead of "normal stages," even more than last week's report. It said about half of the fall and spring cereal crops are in good condition, with most of the other half in fair to poor condition. On the other hand, for pulse crops and "most" oilseed crops, more than half were in fair to good condition as of the end of June. Many producers have reported that dry conditions, heat and wind are causing the most damage to crops in the province, the report said.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
'Nothing grew': 4 southwest Sask. municipalities declare states of emergency due to drought
Several rural municipalities (RMs) in southwest Saskatchewan have declared states of emergency due to drought. The RMs of Maple Creek, Fox Valley, Enterprise and Waverly all say the lack of moisture poses a high fire risk and that many farmers are struggling to make feed for their livestock. "This spring has been the worst drought that we've lived through in our 33 years," said Corinne Gibson, who owns Six Mile Ranch near Lafleche, Sask., with her husband Clayton. Corinne said it was clear by early May that their 4,500-hectare ranch was "in trouble" from the lack of moisture. "Nothing even started, nothing grew." Corinne said. They started seeding hay over the May-long weekend. Four weeks later, "it couldn't grow anymore. It was just trying to stay alive, but it couldn't get any taller," Clayton said. He said their crops only grew to be six to eight inches tall this year, about a foot less than previous years. Crops are usually cut and bailed or made into silage to feed cattle over the winter, but in this case "that's not existent," Corinne said. As a result, the majority of the cattle have been moved to their hay land to graze the small amounts of grass left over from last winter. Other feed has to be purchased from other farms. "Financially it's challenging," Corinne said. "We're talking hundreds and hundreds of thousands, if not closer to $1 million, for us to replace all of that feed that we would normally produce ourselves." With only two bouts of rain this season, the Gibsons are now having to take more drastic measures to feed their livestock. Corinne said they have transported more than 500 cattle to a farm in Weyburn, where there is more grass available. She said a move like that is risky. "Hauling those cattle those 300 kilometres, you know, we risk them losing their pregnancies because they are bred females," she said, adding that those long trips are extremely stressful for the animals. The Gibsons aren't the only ones who have had bad production this year. Corinne said many of the producers in her community have "wasted" a large amount of their seeds, fertilizers and chemicals due to the drought. "You have to be resilient as a farmer," Corinne said. "But we don't know how many more years of this kind of situation that a lot of our neighbours and friends can actually live through." The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) will be implementing a double low-yield appraisal process this year to support Saskatchewan producers impacted by poor weather conditions. It is also encouraging low-yielding eligible crops to be diverted to make additional feed available for silage, grazing or bales. "I fully realize the dry conditions [producers] are going through," Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Dayle Harrison said. Minister Harrison said the new low-yield threshold will allow producers to salvage the crops they do have. "That's important feed that livestock producers will require in these dry conditions," he said. Rainfall insurance is also available to eligible producers, with payments expected as early as mid-July. Harrison said these types of business risk management programs are always a "first line of defence," but that the government can make changes. "We're always open to hearing producers' concerns," he said. " We'll be here to support producers." The province's latest crop report, released Thursday, says many areas in the southern parts of the province have received limited rainfall, putting further stress on crops. The report found that all crops have developed ahead of "normal stages," even more than last week's report. It said about half of the fall and spring cereal crops are in good condition, with most of the other half in fair to poor condition. On the other hand, for pulse crops and "most" oilseed crops, more than half were in fair to good condition as of the end of June. Many producers have reported that dry conditions, heat and wind are causing the most damage to crops in the province, the report said. "More timely rain will be needed throughout July and August to sustain yield potential to harvest," the report says.
Japan Times
03-07-2025
- Japan Times
Japan to require flight passengers to keep power banks within sight
Japan's transport ministry has announced new air safety regulations requiring flight passengers to keep power banks within sight to mitigate fire risks while on board planes. The move, announced Monday, comes in response to a series of incidents involving such battery packs emitting smoke or catching fire during flights. It will go into effect on July 8. Portable battery chargers are often a must-have for travelers. But if handled improperly, the device can pose a fire risk. The lithium-ion batteries used in such devices can overheat or ignite due to a short circuit caused by an external impact or overcharging. The ministry, working with industry groups such as The Scheduled Airlines Association of Japan, will prohibit passengers from storing power banks in overhead compartments. It will also require passengers to charge their devices only in locations where the condition of the battery can be monitored — such as on their laps or in the seat pockets — as part of broader measures to ensure in-flight safety. The precaution aims to ensure that any signs of overheating or smoke can be quickly detected and addressed during flights. Currently, the ministry prohibits passengers from storing power banks in checked baggage, in accordance with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization. In addition, batteries exceeding 160 watt-hours are strictly banned due to its potential fire risk, while passengers may only carry two battery packs rated between 100Wh and 160Wh. Earlier this year, a fire broke out on an Air Busan plane at South Korea's Gimhae International Airport, injuring three people. South Korean investigators later said the blaze may have been caused by a power bank. The transport ministry noted that while similar incidents have occurred on Japanese flights, all have been managed without serious injury or damage thanks to early detection.
Arab News
02-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi ministry recalls faulty chargers over fire risk
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Commerce has announced the recall of 88,518 Anker portable chargers across multiple models due to a potential internal electrical short circuit that may cause overheating and pose a fire risk. The ministry urged consumers to immediately stop using the affected products and contact Anker at the toll-free number 8008500030 to arrange a replacement or full refund, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. Consumers can check if their device is included in the recall and start the replacement or refund process by visiting Users are also advised to verify the model number of their charger against the list of affected products on the Defective Products Recall Center website The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to consumer safety and stressed the importance of promptly addressing product defects to prevent potential hazards.
