Walmart Recalls 850,000 Water Bottles Over Risk of Blinding Injuries

Walmart is recalling approximately 850,000 water bottles sold in its stores after it was discovered they can pose a “serious threat” of injury.

According to a recall notice posted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Walmart is recalling the Ozark Trail 64-ounce Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottles because it was found that the lid “can forcefully eject, posing serious impact and laceration hazards, when a consumer attempts to open the capped bottles after food, carbonated beverages or perishable beverages, such as juice or milk, are stored inside over time.” The bottles are easily recognizable by their silver color with a black screw cap lid. The bottles also have the model number 83-662 printed on them. 

The recall notice explained that the company received three reports of consumers who were “injured when struck in the face by a lid forcefully ejected from these bottles upon opening.” It added that two of those consumers “suffered permanent vision loss after being struck in the eye.” 

The product has been sold both in-store and on the Walmart website since 2017, retailing for about $15. 

As for what you should do if you own one of the bottles, the notice explained that it’s crucial to stop using it immediately and contact Walmart for a refund. “Consumers can bring the bottle to their nearest Walmart store for a refund,” it added.

This isn’t the only recall currently impacting Walmart customers. As Food & Wine reported earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a voluntary recall for Mondelēz Global’s four carton sizes of Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches nationwide, including at Walmart stores, due to incorrect labels.

According to the notice, the recall includes the brand’s 8-pack, 20-pack, and 40-pack cartons of Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches, as well as the 20-pack Ritz Filled Cracker Sandwich Variety Pack carton.

“The affected cartons include individually wrapped packs that may be incorrectly labeled as Cheese variety even though the product may be a Peanut Butter variety,” the FDA notice explained. This means those with peanut allergies or severe sensitivity to peanuts may be at risk if they consume the product.

While there have been no reports of illness so far related to this recall, the FDA and the brand warned that consumers with a peanut allergy should avoid eating the products and should discard any recalled items immediately. Those with questions can contact the company directly at 1-844-366-1171.