California Innovations, Inc. and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently recalled about 248,000 of the company’s “Expandable Insulated Lunch Box With Freezer Gel Pack” products. The gel pack can be damaged, causing the gel to leak out. This creates a poisoning hazard for children and adults who might try to eat food stored in the box because the gel contains chemicals that are harmful if ingested.
So far, the company has not heard of any individuals being injured by the product. However, at least two dogs in two separate households chewed on the gel packs and suffered poisoning. One of the dogs recovered, according to the CPSC, but the other lost its life.
The lunch boxes were sold at Costco, Leon Korol, and Cost U Less stores between May 2007 and September 2008 for about $10 apiece. The three-piece set includes the lunch box, thermos, and freezer gel pack. The lunch boxes are covered in nylon and have the product code “1-61731-99-57” printed on them. The boxes were sold in black, red, navy blue, and denim blue.
Consumers who own one of these lunch boxes should stop using the freezer gel pack immediately. The lunch boxes can be returned to Costco stores for a full refund.
We expect the products we buy to be relatively safe, especially if we give them to our children. If you’ve been injured by a defective product, the experienced Washington personal injury attorneys at Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. can help. Call us today at (888) 228-3860 for a free and confidential consultation.
