WASHINGTON, June 8 (UPI) -- A Toronto, Calif., firm, California Innovations, Inc., is expanding its recall of freezer gel packs that contain toxic compounds, federal regulators said.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said the recall of Ice/Hot and Ice Gel Packs includes 880,000 items, 248,000 of which are associated with lunch boxes and 55,000 of which are associated with food carriers.
The gel inside the packs includes diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which are toxic if ingested, the agency said.
The expanded recall involves Cryofreeze ice/hot packs and Arctic Zone ice packs. They were imported from China and sold nationwide from July 2007 through December 2008 as components of lunch boxes and food carriers that cost between $5 and $28.
The ice packs are various sizes, none of them larger than "hand-sized." Some have "Cryofreeze," "Reusable" and "Non-toxic" printed on the front. Others have "ICE," "Personal Ice Pack" and "Non-Toxic Leak Proof Gel printed on the front.
Consumers were advised to stop using the gel packs and dispose of them according to local and federal regulations. Consumers were also advised to contact California Innovations for refunds.
Consumers can call 800-722-2545 for information.
