4 days ago
Walmart Recalls 850,000 Water Bottles After 2 People Suffer 'Permanent Vision Loss'
Walmart has recalled 850,000 Ozark Trail 64 oz insulated water bottles due to a dangerous lid defect that can cause serious injuries, including permanent vision loss
The CPSC warns that the hazard arises when consumers store carbonated, perishable, or fermented beverages in the bottle for extended periods
Shoppers are advised to stop using the bottles, check for the Ozark Trail logo (model 83-662), and return them to Walmart for a full refundWalmart is taking the precautionary route and removing a water bottle brand from its shelves due to a newly discovered safety hazard it poses for consumers, especially children.
On Thursday, July 10, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a press release announcing a recall for the Ozark Trail 64 oz stainless steel insulated water bottle, with a retail price of $15.
According to the notice, the lid of the bottle could cause serious injuries, including 'laceration hazards,' if a consumer attempted to open the bottle after storing food, carbonated or perishable beverages, including juice or milk, for an extended period of time.
'Walmart has received three reports of consumers who were injured when struck in the face by a lid forcefully ejected from these bottles upon opening,' the announcement reads. 'Two consumers suffered permanent vision loss after being struck in the eye.'
PEOPLE reached out to a Walmart and Group Director, Enterprise Communications at Walmart Molly Blakeman affirmed the company's top priority is "the health and safety of our customers."
"Walmart has fully cooperated with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the manufacturer of the impacted product to remove it from our stores and notify consumers of the recall," stated Blakeman.
Multiple food and beverage cans suddenly eject an unattached lid, such as a carbonated soda or fermented foods and drinks like kombucha, sourdough, kimchi and wine.
The model number of the roughly 850,000 defective products is 83-662; however, this number does not appear on the bottles themselves. Instead, to confirm if they own one of the recalled bottles, consumers can look for the embedded Ozark Trail logo on the bottle.
Purchasers are encouraged to stop using the bottle if they have it in their possession and to contact Walmart or return it to the nearest location for a full refund.
Recently, Costco recalled several items due to their various potential hazards of causing serious injury and even death.
Among the recalled items are the Midea brand U-shaped window air conditioner (due to the potential mold growth from water pooling inside the appliance), a variety of Anker power banks (for fire risk from overheating) and the BowFlex 552 adjustable dumbbell, which can dislodge and injure the user or anyone in the nearby area.
Read the original article on People
