On May 19, Ikea issued a recall for more than 159,000 plates, bowls, and mugs because they may pose a burn hazard. According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the items can “become brittle and break, causing hot food or liquid to leak out.”

IKEA Concept Center; image courtesy of Steven Lek via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org

At the moment, about 148,000 ‘Heroisk’ and ‘Talrika’ bowls, plates, and mugs have been sold in the U.S. in colorful shades like yellow, blue, and pink. Another 11,400 recalled products were sold in Canada. To see if your items are included in the recall, check for the article names, “supplier number ‘23348,’ ‘Made in Taiwan’ and ‘PLA’ molded into the bottom of each item.”There have been 123 reports so far of the items breaking, including four injury reports. Two of those required medical attention. Most of the incidents involved people sustaining burns “due to the hot contents leaking out.” One of the incidents occurred here in the U.S. When commenting on the recall, a spokesperson for Ikea said:“Safety is a top priority for IKEA and therefore we are taking precautionary measures and recalling HEROISK and TALRIKA bowls, plates, and mugs…IKEA of Sweden has received reports of the products breaking after several months of use by customers."The statement also noted that the company thinks the product may be defective because of the materials used to create it. The statement reads:“HEROISK and TALRIKA are made of PLA (Polylactic acid or polylactide)…This is a more sustainable material since it is made from renewable sources. After reports of breakage, we can see that the material is not suitable for everyday meals with hot food. The products can break after some time of use and potentially cause minor burns, which is why we have taken this precautionary measure and recalled the products.”The products in question were sold online between August 2019 and May 2021. For now, customers should stop using the products and return them for a refund. If you have additional questions or concerns about the recall, call 888-966-4532.

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Ikea recalls over 159,000 bowls, plates, and mugs for possible burn riskIkea Recall: 159,000 Plates, Bowls, and Mugs Recalled for Potential Burn Risks