[NTLK] Need help: Restrictions regarding postal transport of batteries and devices containing batteries in the USA

[NewtonTalk]

Hi friends,

today I got an eMate back that I sent to Ermin more than a month ago. It
seems that it has spent the last four weeks at some international hub in
Frankfurt until someone decided that it could not be shipped to the US
because there are postal restrictions regarding shipments of items that
contain batteries. There was a sticker on the box that showed some batteries
and the text "UN3481".

Now I am familiar with UN3481. It outlines postal restrictions when it comes
to shipping Lithium-Ion batteries packed with equipment. But to the best of
my knowledge it does not apply to Nickel-Metal-Hydride batteries packed with
an eMate.

If I wouldn't utterly despise assumptions because they have this annoying
tendency of wasting lots of my time if they are wrong, I would assume that
some overzealous clerk made the wrong assumption that everything with a
keyboard is a laptop and that every laptop is powered by a Li-Ion battery.
It is beyond me why it took them more than a month to make this assumption,
but that is another story.

However, before I raise hell at the post office, I would rather get my facts
straight. Obviously shipping Nickel-Metal-Hydride cells in Germany isn't a
problem, otherwise I wouldn't be able to order the cells I use for battery
rebuilds. So if there IS a problem with this type of cells, it must be a
problem with USPS postal services. I would be highly astonished if that was
the case since I've been shipping Newtons, eMates and rebuilt batteries
worldwide for the last 16 years, but maybe something has changed in the US.

Since I am not very good at legal stuff in a foreign language, I would ask
you guys kindly to provide me with any proof that shipment of hardware
containing Nickel-Metal-Hydride batteries via USPS is either allowed or not
allowed in the USA. If this has in fact changed in the last couple of weeks,
it would be the end of battery rebuilds from yours truly unless you live in
Germany, and the end of sales of Newtons or eMates with rebuilt batteries.

Thanks a lot in advance

Frank

-- Newton software and hardware at http://www.pda-soft.de