Safety,
one cell at a time.

Child protection, single-cell access and material separation.

01 / PROJECT GOAL

Safe access,
designed for recovery.

CR2032 cells are small and hazardous when swallowed, so their package must balance child resistance with adult usability. This project also treats material separation after use as a core design goal, so safety does not come at the expense of recyclability.

01Regulation-led

Australian mandatory safety standards establish the design boundary.

02Single-cell release

One battery is exposed at a time to reduce loose-cell risk.

03Paper-plastic separation

The paperboard and PET cover can be separated for material recovery.

02 / REGULATORY RESEARCH

Define the safety boundaries that cannot be compromised.

The research began with Australia's mandatory button-battery safety standards and referenced the child-resistant packaging requirements in EN 862:2016 and IEC 60086-4:2019. These requirements became practical goals for child resistance, single-cell release and adult operability.

AU: Australian mandatory button-battery safety standards
EN 862:2016: Reference for child-resistant opening and reclosure
IEC 60086-4:2019: Reference for lithium-battery safety and packaging

Structural research for the CR2032 button-cell package — Regulatory requirements translated into structure, opening sequence and single-cell release conditions

03 / SAFE ACCESS

Not simply harder to open—harder to open by accident.

Prototype of the button-cell package opening mechanism — Exploring the opening mechanism and the intended adult action

Resist child access

Child-resistant packaging requirements define the structural boundary, preventing a single intuitive action from opening the pack.

Release one cell

Only one battery is exposed at a time, reducing the risk of loose cells, multiple-cell access and accidental contact.

Remain usable for adults

Clear feedback and a legible operating sequence preserve adult usability within the safety constraints.

Recyclable CR2032 button-cell packaging concept — Modular packaging and material connections

Paper and PET separation demonstration — The paperboard backing and PET cover separate after use

04 / CIRCULAR DESIGN

Let each material return to its own recovery stream.

Conventional blister packs permanently bond paperboard to the plastic cover, making sorting difficult after use. This proposal reduces irreversible joins and responds to real recycling conditions, allowing the paper and PET components to separate more easily and improving the package's recovery potential.

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