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UL Certifies First Electronic Cigarette to UL 8139 Standard

October 17, 2018

NORTHBROOK, Ill., October 15, 2018 — UL, a leading global safety science company, announced today that Joyetech, a global manufacturer of electronic cigarettes and vaporizers, is the first organization to certify to UL 8139, a safety Standard that evaluates the electrical and battery systems of vaping devices and electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes. The certification was issued to Joyetech’s vapor pen, eGO AIO.

UL recently published ANSI/CAN/UL 8139, Electrical Systems of Electronic Cigarettes and Vaping Devices, which is recognized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), covering the electrical, heating, battery and charging systems of these products. The development of UL 8139 also addresses specific fire safety concerns raised by North American fire officials.

“UL strives to help manufacturers bring safer products to market and empower consumer trust,” said Ghislain Devouge, vice president and general manager for UL’s Consumer Technology division. “UL 8139 is a collaborative effort with government agencies and industry stakeholders to further enhance consumer safety.”

E-cigarettes, also known as Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems or ENDS, are battery-operated devices that provide an alternative to traditional cigarette smoking by heating a liquid or leaf into an aerosol. As the demand has grown, so too have the safety concerns. The U.S. Fire Administration reported an increased number of e-cigarette incidents involving fire that resulted in injury requiring medical treatment.[1] The testing requirements for UL 8139 specifically evaluate the safety of the electrical, heating, battery and charging systems. The Standard does not address devices that have removable battery cells or the consumables of the e-cigarette, including, e-liquids, vapor substances, wicks and other particulate matter. UL 8139 also does not evaluate the long-term or physiological effects of the consumables.

“We strive to be a leader in the ENDS industry and are constantly looking for ways to ensure the safety of our high-end technology,” said Joshua Church, chief compliance officer for the Joyetech Group. “For us, this UL 8139 certification is a validation of our commitment to using scientific and expert methods to test our products. For our customers, it illustrates our dedication to providing greater peace of mind.”

“Our association has been proactively working towards the introduction of safety standards such as UL 8139 that help manufacturers bring the best products to the consumer,” said Maggie Gowen, executive director of the Global Vaping Standards Association, a non-profit trade group. “Our membership base is dedicated to pursuing higher quality standards, especially those that cover hardware and battery design.”

All UL Certified e-cigarettes and ENDS products receive a certificate of compliance along with holographic product labels featuring the UL Enhanced Mark. The holographic label makes it easier for consumers to distinguish genuine products that have achieved UL Certification for e-cigarettes from counterfeit products that could be potentially unsafe.

Universally recognized as a global leader in battery safety testing, UL tests and certifies batteries and also contributes to the development of industry safety and performance standards. The UL 8139 Standard helps manufacturers address lithium-ion battery hazards for electronic cigarettes and vaping devices, which aligns to UL’s public safety mission.

About UL
UL fosters safe living and working conditions for people everywhere through the application of science to solve safety, security and sustainability challenges.  The UL Mark engenders trust enabling the safe adoption of innovative new products and technologies. Everyone at UL shares a passion to make the world a safer place. We test, inspect, audit, certify, validate, verify, advise and train and we support these efforts with software solutions for safety and sustainability. To learn more about us, visit UL.com.

[1] U.S. Fire Administration, Electronic Cigarette Fires and Explosions in the United States (2009 – 2016)