Multiple Holiday Light Recalls Announced in Canada
One of the recalls announced Dec. 11 involves approximately 487,041 units of holiday lights that were sold at Walmart Canada retail stores across Canada earlier this year.
Health Canada announced three recalls of Halloween and Christmas lights on Dec. 11 involving hundreds of thousands of units sold across the country. One of the recalls involves approximately 487,041 units of holiday lights that were sold at Walmart Canada retail stores across Canada from August to November 2015. All of the light sets were manufactured in China, including by companies such as Taizhou Hongpeng Colour Lanterns Co., Ltd. and Ningbo EGO International Co. Ltd. They have been recalled because they may pose a fire risk, according to Health Canada.
The agency has posted lists of brand names, importers, model numbers, and CSA file numbers affected by the recalls on its website in the posted recall notices. "The following products are currently known to be affected by this recall. This list is not exhaustive and may expand as more products and importers are identified. Additionally, other importers of Taizhou Hongpeng Colour Lanterns Co., Ltd. or Ningbo EGO International Co. Ltd. that have already recalled seasonal lights from these manufacturers, or are expanding existing recalls from these manufacturers, are found at the bottom of this notice," one notice states.
The agency said its sampling and evaluation program determined the lights may pose overheating, fire, and electric shock hazards from some of the light units, adding that Health Canada has received 19 reports of consumer incidents – four reports of shock, including two with minor burns -- related to the use of seasonal lights manufactured by Taizhou Hongpeng Colour Lanterns Co., Ltd. and Ningbo Ego International Co. Ltd.
The total number of units sold in this particular recall is undetermined; the announcement says they were sold at dollar stores, discount stores, department stores, pharmacies, drug stores, hardware stores, home improvement stores, garden stores, and other independent retailers.
The Wal-Mart Canada Corp. expanded recall involves 100-count holiday light sets that testing by Wal-Mart Canada and Health Canada showed may pose an overheating and fire hazard, but neither Health Canada nor Wal-Mart Canada Corp. has received any report of consumer incidents or injuries related to use of the products.