What You Need to Know About CR2032, LR44 & Other Small Batteries

We believe battery organization isn’t just about convenience — it’s about safety.

Coin and button batteries like CR2032, CR2025, CR2016, LR44, and SR44 are small, powerful, and found in dozens of everyday household items. When stored carelessly, they can pose serious risks — especially in homes with children and pets.

Here’s what every household should know.

 

What Are Coin & Button Batteries?

Coin and button batteries are small, round batteries typically made with:

  • Lithium (CR2032, CR2025, CR2016 – 3V)
  • Alkaline (LR44 -1.5V)
  • Silver oxide (SR44 – 1.55v)

They’re commonly used in:

  • Key fobs and car remotes
  • Bathroom scales
  • Thermometers
  • Watches
  • Hearing aids
  • Toys
  • Flameless candles
  • Calculators
  • Musical greeting cards
  • Small electronics and LED décor

Because they’re compact and easy to misplace, they often end up loose in drawers — and that’s where safety concerns begin.

 

Why Coin Batteries can be Dangerous

The biggest risk is accidental ingestion, particularly for children under five.

If swallowed, a coin battery can:

  • Become lodged in the esophagus
  • Generate an electrical current
  • Cause a chemical reaction
  • Lead to severe internal burns in as little as 2 hours

Lithium batteries like CR2032 are especially hazardous due to their size and voltage.

Even used batteries can retain enough charge to cause injury.

If ingestion is suspected:

  • Call 911 immediately
  • Contact your local Poison Centre

Time is critical.

 

Safe Storage: The Most Overlooked Step

Many battery accidents happen not during use — but during storage.

Loose batteries in junk drawers, nightstands, or kitchen catch-alls increase the chance of:

  • Children finding them
  • Pets chewing them
  • Batteries coming into contact with metal objects
  • Used batteries being mixed with new ones

A safer approach is simple:

✔ Store batteries in a designated, contained location

✔ Keep them out of reach of children and pets

✔ Keep new and used batteries separated

✔ Avoid loose storage in open containers

Creating structure around battery storage significantly reduces risk.

Why Slimline Battery Cases Improve Safety

A secure battery case — like our Slimline Battery Cases — helps create a safer storage system for small batteries.

Here’s how structured storage improves safety:

1. Eliminates Loose Batteries

Slimline cases keep coin and button batteries contained, reducing the chance they end up scattered in drawers or on counters.  Individual batteries are isolated so they cannot short circuit.

2. Adds a Physical Barrier

A closed case adds an additional step between a curious child (or pet) and the batteries inside.

3. Makes Batteries Visible & Accounted For

When batteries are organized in a proper case:

  • You can quickly see what you have
  • You’re less likely to forget loose spares
  • You can separate new and used batteries more easily

4. Reduces Short-Circuit & Fire Risk

Loose batteries can short-circuit if they touch metal objects like keys or coins. Storing them properly in a case reduces unintended contact.

At Protect Your Power, we design storage solutions that make battery safety intentional — not an afterthought.

Battery organization isn’t just about tidiness. It’s about building safer systems inside your home.

Safe Disposal & Recycling

Coin and button batteries should never be thrown in household garbage.

Improper disposal can:

  • Cause fires in waste trucks and recycling facilities
  • Injure workers
  • Release hazardous materials into the environment

Before Recycling:

✔ Tape battery terminals with clear or electrical tape

✔ Store used batteries safely until drop-off

 

Where to Recycle in Canada

Call2Recycle Canada

Find drop-off locations at:

👉 https://www.call2recycle.ca

Call2Recycle partners with retailers such as:

  • Canadian Tire
  • Home Depot
  • RONA
  • Staples
  • Lowe’s

Most municipalities also accept batteries at Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) depots.

Where to Recycle in the United States

Call2Recycle (now the Battery Network) United States

Find drop off locations at:

👉 https://batterynetwork.org

The Battery Network partners with retailers such as:

  • Home Depot
  • Best Buy
  • Staples
  • Lowe’s 

If unsure, search your city name + “battery recycling”

A Safer Battery System Starts at Home

Coin batteries may be small — but they require intentional storage and disposal.

Take a few minutes today to:

  • Check where your coin batteries are stored
  • Move them out of drawers and into a secure case
  • Ensure devices have secure battery compartments
  • Tape and recycle used batteries properly
  • Make sure everyone in your household understands ingestion risks

At Protect Your Power, our mission is simple:

Help families store, manage, and recycle batteries safely and responsibly.

Small improvements in how you store batteries can make a big difference in preventing accidents.