Nova Scotia Power is providing an incentive from Sobeys for parents to return LED lights handed out at the Parade of Lights Saturday night.

In a news release Sunday, David Rodenhiser of Nova Scotia Power said the battery compartments of the clip-on LED flasher of the lights are not secure.

"We deeply regret that we provided this product and we are just trying to find ways to ensure they are disposed of,” said Sasha Irving of Nova Scotia Power.

The IWK Health Centre reported two incidents of young children ingesting the batteries the day after the parade.

Tiffany Publicover went to the holiday parade with her family. She says she knew it wasn't a toy for young children. 

“It's the parents issue to make sure the items children are playing with are safe,” said Publicover.

Rodenhiser says approximately 4,700 in the colours blue, yellow and red were handed out at the parade. They were intended to promote crosswalk safety.

The lights can be dropped off at the Halifax Shopping Centre, Mic Mac Mall, or at Nova Scotia Power’s head office in downtown Halifax between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We'd ask people to bring the reflector lights and in exchange we'll provide them with a $10 Sobeys gift card,” said Irving.

Chantal Walsh with the IWK Child Safety Link says in addition to being a choking hazard, the batteries can be poisonous.

“If it is swallowed it can burn the stomach and it releases a toxin,” she said.

Nova Scotia Power has also filed an incident report with Health Canada’s Consumer Products Safety Directorate and provided them with information concerning the safety of the lights.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kelland Sundahl.