If you are going to send an iPhone, MP3 player or other electronic gadgets to overseas friends, you now need to budget more money or time on the delivery as Hongkong Post no longer accepts air mail containing lithium batteries.
Internet traders and senders have complained about the ban, saying it has affected their businesses and caused inconvenience.
'I'm shocked, because with modern-day technology, most things have got batteries,' said Callan Anderson, who used to sell second-hand electronic devices online and had sent electronic gifts to family and friends overseas via Hongkong Post.
Hongkong Post said the ban had been introduced because of the Universal Postal Union's new code which came into effect on January 1. The code states that dangerous goods cannot be inserted in parcels sent by post, and the Civil Aviation Department says lithium batteries are covered by the code.
'It's because there were explosions caused by lithium batteries, and a fire caused by lithium batteries is difficult to extinguish. Batteries of poor quality can be more dangerous,' a spokeswoman for the Hongkong Post said.
She said it had discussed the matter with the Civil Aviation Department many times. She suggested senders remove such batteries before sending the items by air, or they could use surface mail which may take more than a month.