The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents pilots in the US and Canada, has asked the US government to ban shipments of lithium batteries on all cargo and passenger flights until measures are taken to ensure such shipments are safe. The proposed ban on the batteries, which are widely used in electronic devices like phones and computers, would not prohibit passengers from carrying batteries on planes. “The evidence of a clear and present danger is mounting. We need an immediate ban on these dangerous goods to protect airline passengers, crews, and cargo,” said Mark Rogers, director of ALPA’s Dangerous Goods Programs. During the last two months, there have been three incidents where fire or smoke on aircraft was caused by shipments of lithium batteries.