All batteries are toxic and dangerous if swallowed. Keep all batteries (and hearing aids) away from children and pets. If anyone swallows a battery it is a medical emergency and the individual needs to see a physician immediately. If a battery is swallowed, immediately call the 24-hour National Battery Ingestion Hotline at 202-625-3333 (call collect if necessary) or call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222.
The sizes of hearing aid batteries are listed below along with their standard number and color codes.
- Size 10: YELLOW
- Size 13: ORANGE
- Size 312: BROWN
- Size 675: BLUE
Today’s hearing aid batteries are “zinc-air.” Because the batteries are air-activated, a factory-sealed sticker keeps them “inactive” until you remove the sticker. Once the sticker is removed from the back of the battery, it is active.
Do not store zinc air batteries in the refrigerator. Water particles will form under the sticker and oxygen will reach the battery. Batteries should be stored in a cool location.
Battery Safety Warning
There was an incident where a used Zinc Air Cell Battery was stored for disposal jointly with other batteries in a film box and burst with a loud bang. If battery cells which are totally discharged come into electrical contact with one another, there is the possibility of unintentional charging and, in exceptional cases, bursting of the cell. Batteries should be recycled. Do not dispose of in fire, recharge, reverse polarity, or allow batteries to inadvertently contact metal objects or other batteries, as they may leak or explode and cause injury.