According to an announcement released by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday, Walmart is recalling approximately 850,000 stainless steel water bottles manufactured in China under the Ozark Trail brand. The product has already caused injuries to three individuals, with two of them suffering permanent vision loss.
The recall notice states that when storing food, carbonated beverages, or perishable liquids such as juice or milk in the bottle for a period of time, the bottle cap may forcefully eject when opened, posing a serious risk of impact and laceration.
The recalled product involves the Ozark Trail 64-ounce stainless steel insulated water bottle with model number 83-662 on the packaging. The stainless steel bottle is silver with a black one-piece screw-on cap and features the Ozark Trail logo on the side. The product does not display the model number on the bottle itself. The recall number for this product is 25-377.
According to the information on the recall notice, this product was manufactured in China. The Consumer Product Safety Commission advises consumers who have purchased the recalled water bottle to “stop using immediately” and contact Walmart for a full refund. Consumers can also return the product to the nearest Walmart store for a refund.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission indicated that Walmart has received reports of three consumers being injured. These individuals sustained injuries to their faces when the bottle cap forcefully ejected upon opening, resulting in two consumers suffering permanent vision loss after their eyes were impacted.
Since 2017, Walmart has been selling this product in its physical stores and on the Walmart website nationwide for approximately $15.
This is not the first incident of a Chinese-made drinking vessel being recalled in the United States. In December of last year, Stanley recalled around 2.6 million Stanley Switchback and Trigger Action stainless steel travel mugs manufactured in China.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission stated in the announcement at that time that the threading on these mugs’ lids would shrink under heat and torque, causing the lid to loosen during use, posing a risk of burns.