Walmart Recalls Water Bottles After Lids ‘Forcefully Ejected' and Impaired Vision

New York Times

3 days ago

Walmart is recalling about 850,000 stainless steel water bottles after three customers reported that the lids of their bottles 'forcefully ejected' and struck their faces, causing permanent vision loss in two of them, safety regulators said.
The recall covers 64-ounce Ozark Trail stainless steel insulated water bottles, which have been sold at Walmart stores across the nation and on Walmart's website since 2017, according to a notice published on Thursday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The commission warned that the bottles posed serious impact and laceration hazards.
It said that the lid could 'eject forcefully' when consumers try to open the bottles and 'food, carbonated beverages or perishable beverages, such as juice or milk, are stored inside over time.' It did not specify how long a period of time.
As of Thursday, Walmart had received three reports of customers who were injured after the lids struck them in the face while they were opening the bottles.
In two of those cases, the people experienced 'permanent vision loss after being struck in the eye,' the commission noted.
Consumers should immediately stop using the Ozark Trail water bottle, which sells for about $15, and contact Walmart for a full refund, the commission said. Consumers can bring the products to any Walmart store.
The recalled bottles can be identified by their model number, 83-662. The number is on the original packaging, but it does not appear on the product itself.
Each bottle has a silver, stainless steel base with an Ozark Trail logo and a black, one-piece screw-cap lid.
'The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,' Walmart said in a statement on Friday afternoon. 'Walmart has fully cooperated with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and manufacturer of the impacted product to remove it from our stores and notify consumers of the recall'
The bottles were manufactured in China and imported by Olympia Tools International Inc., of Covina, Calif., and Walmart.