The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has revealed that Walmart was aware of a dangerous defect in its Ozark Trail water bottles for seven years before issuing a recall. The recall, announced last month, covers approximately 850,000 64-ounce stainless-steel bottles after reports emerged that the lids could 'forcefully eject', causing serious injuries, including partial blindness in two users.
Documents from the CPSC and legal filings show that Walmart first learned of the risk in 2018. In one incident from March 2018, a woman in Georgia was struck in the eye when a lid exploded from a bottle containing homemade soup. Two further cases that year involved hard apple cider and mango juice, resulting in a ruptured eyeball and severe facial injuries respectively. All three incidents were settled privately.
In 2020, Walmart added warning inserts advising customers to use the bottles only for water, as improper use was believed to cause pressure buildup leading to lid failures. The company said reports of injuries dropped until another incident occurred in 2024, prompting the CPSC to request a formal recall.
Experts have raised concerns about the delay, with Kevin Mayo, a business professor, stating: 'There's a measure of risk tolerance that's being discussed.' The CPSC lacks authority to enforce recalls without company cooperation, meaning potential hazards can go unaddressed.
The recalled bottles, model number 83-662, feature a silver stainless-steel body with a black screw-on lid and were sold exclusively by Walmart since 2017 for around $15. Customers are urged to stop using the bottles immediately and return them to Walmart for a full refund.
