By Rita R. Robison
About 880,000 ice/hot and ice gel packs are being recalled by California Innovations.
About 248,000 units associated with lunch boxes and 55,000 associated with food carriers were previously recalled in January 2012.
If the packs aredamaged, they can leak gel that could contain diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which can cause illness if ingested in large amounts.
No new incidents or injuries have been reported, the company and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a statement.
The recalled products are Cryofreeze ice/hot packs and Arctic Zone ice packs. The packs are gel-filled plastic pouches with either transparent or opaque sealed wrappers. They’re used to keep food hot or cold. The gel packs were sold separately and with a variety of lunch boxes, coolers, and thermal carriers.
Six gel pack styles are being recalled:
Cryofreeze ice/hot packs in small and large styles. Both have opaque blue wrappers with the words "Cryofreeze," "Ice Pack/Hot Pack," "Non-toxic," and "Reusable" printed on the front:
- The small gel pack is 6 inches wide and 5.5 inches high.
- The large gel pack is 8.5 inches wide and 8 inches high.
Cryofreeze Transparent Cell ice/hot packs in three styles. Each has a transparent wrapper with the words "Cryofreeze," "Ice Pack/Hot Pack," "Non-toxic," and "Reusable" printed on the front:
- One 3-cell pack has three connected rectangular-shaped pouches of blue gel and is 7.85 inches wide and 5.5 inches high.
- Another 3-cell pack has three connected square-shaped pouches of blue gel and is 7.6 inches wide and 3 inches high.
- The 2-cell pack has two connected square-shaped pouches of blue gel and is 5 inches wide and 3 inches high.
Arctic Zone ice pack is 6.25 inches wide and 4 inches high and has an opaque blue wrapper. The Arctic Zone logo and a picture of an iceberg appear on the front of the wrapper. The words "ICE," "Personal Ice Pack," and "Non-Toxic Leak Proof Gel" are also printed on the front of the wrapper.
Manufactured in China, the gel packs were sold at mass merchandise and warehouse stores, other retailers, distributors, and on-line sellers nationwide between July 2007 and December 2008 in items that retailed between $5 and $28.
Consumers should immediately stop using the gel packs and dispose of them according to federal, state, and/or local regulations, the company and commission advise. It’s recommended that consumers contact their local waste disposal authority for instructions.
Consumers can contact California Innovations to receive a $6 cash refund for large, 8.5-inch x 8-inch, Cryofreeze gel packs or a $5 cash refund for all other gel packs.
For additional information, call California Innovations at 800-722-2545 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, e-mail ci-recall@ca-innovations.com or visit the firm's website at www.californiainnovations.com.
