LIGHTERS - Short version

Serious safety deficiencies have been revealed in a test of disposable lighters carried out by the Consumer Council in co-operation with the Association for Consumer Information The study has been co-financed by ANEC, the European Organisation for Consumer Representation in Standardisation.

Jet flames of a height of up to 30 cm, inadmissible flaring of the flame, formation of cracks during the drop test as well as gas loss and explosions during the temperature test have been observed.The ISO standard concerning safety of lighters, too, has provided evidence of clear shortcomings. The initiative of the Consumer Council in co-operation with other consumer organisations brought about a more stringent standard.

Actually disposable gas lighters should have been child-resistant in Europe for a long time. This is already legally required in the USA since 1994. It is true that after a long and difficult process a European standard was approved in April 2002, but it was not until May 2006 that the placing on the market of child-resistant lighters was made compulsory. The Commission incomprehensibly gave in the pressure exerted by manufacturers, importers and some Member States for a much too long time.