More than 40,000 helmets sold at Walmart in the US have been recalled, with customers urged to ‘destroy’ the product due to safety concerns.
The Concord 360 degree Rechargeable Light-Up helmet, distributed by Massachusetts-based company Todson, “violate[s] the mandatory safety standard for bicycle helmets”, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said in a notice.
“The helmets can fail to protect the user in the event of a crash, posing a serious risk of injury or death due to head injury.”
The Concord 360° helmet has strips of red LED lights around its shell and a flashing light at the back. It is powered by an inbuilt lithium-ion battery, and as such, customers have been told not to throw it in the trash.
“Devices with lithium-ion batteries must be disposed of differently, because they present a greater risk of fire,” Todson said in a recall notice.
“Your municipal household hazardous waste (HHW) collection center may accept this recalled lithium-ion battery or device for disposal. Before taking your battery or device to a HHW collection center, contact that office ahead of time and ask whether it accepts recalled lithium-ion batteries. If it does not, contact your municipality for further guidance.”
Anyone concerned they may be affected by this recall can contact Todson’s hotline at 1-800-278-2565 and press Option 2. The company has also set up a specific email address to process enquiries and refunds: 360concordhelmet@todson.com