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Tag: SDI

  • Samsung SDI Avoids Liability in Vape Battery Explosion Case

    Samsung SDI Avoids Liability in Vape Battery Explosion Case

    Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. has been cleared of liability in a high-profile lawsuit over a vape battery explosion that severely injured a teenager, after the Seventh Circuit Court ruled the company had no direct ties to the Indiana vape market. In a unanimous 3–0 decision, the court upheld the dismissal of the case filed by B.D., a minor, who suffered third-degree burns and required skin grafts after a loose 18650 lithium-ion battery exploded in his pocket.

    The battery, manufactured by Samsung SDI, had been purchased from a local vape shop by B.D.’s stepfather. The court determined that Samsung SDI did not purposefully sell or market its batteries for standalone consumer vape use, and thus could not be held liable under Indiana jurisdiction. The company produces batteries for integration into finished products like laptops and power tools, not for resale as individual units.

    The ruling highlights the fine line between manufacturer liability and third-party misuse in the growing aftermarket battery trade, particularly as injuries linked to unregulated vape components continue to rise.

  • Malawi Government Urged to Take Over Tobacco Diversification Agenda 

    Malawi Government Urged to Take Over Tobacco Diversification Agenda 

    A report by the Sustainable Development Initiative (SDI) in Malawi said the nation’s agricultural diversification programs are not yielding the desired results, with farmers struggling to access markets for alternative crops. Maynard Nyirenda, executive director of the SDI, said his organization understands that weaning Malawi off its reliance on tobacco will be a long and challenging process, given the crop’s entrenched history in the country dating back to colonial times, however he emphasized the need for a gradual transition to alternative crops.

    The SDI said that after decades of practice, the current tobacco diversification agenda hasn’t yielded economic prosperity, and that the tobacco industry’s diversification programs are driven by the industry itself, creating a conflict of interest. He emphasized the need for a farmer-centered approach, stating that the Malawi government should provide direct market access, technology, and infrastructure for alternative crops such as soya beans, sunflowers, and groundnuts.

    “We are saying, let the government own this particular diversification agenda so that the other crops are also given enough support that the tobacco industry has received,” Nyirenda said. “If you can support the same soya beans and whatever alternatives, give it a lot of support as we have been doing on tobacco, it will be sold outside, it will be exported. We will still be getting the same U.S. dollars.”