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Disposable Cigarette Lighter

CPSC Recall #03-054 - December 18, 2002

Recall Summary

Recall Number03-054
Recall DateDecember 18, 2002
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 247,000

Where It Was Sold

Convenience
gas
and grocery stores in the central U.S. sold these disposable cigarette lighters from September 2002 through December 2002 for about $1.

Product

Disposable Cigarette Lighter

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Montrose Wholesale Candies & Sundries Inc., of Chicago, Ill., is voluntarily recalling about 247,000 disposable cigarette lighters. The lighters do not have child-resistant mechanisms, as required by federal law. Young children could ignite the lighters, presenting fire and burn hazards.These "BIC" brand lighters were illegally imported into the United States by Montrose Wholesale Candies & Sundries, Inc., a Chicago importer. This recall does not involve lighters sold in the U.S. by BIC. In the United States, BIC sells only lighters with a child resistant mechanism. BIC notified CPSC of these illegally imported lighters, and CPSC investigators caught the non-child-resistant lighters for sale in several stores in the Chicago area. All disposable lighters imported and sold in the U.S. are required by law to be child-resistant.CPSC and Montrose Wholesale Candies & Sundries are not aware of any injuries involving these lighters. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injuries.The disposable cigarette lighters being recalled are oval-tube-shaped "BIC" and mini- "BIC" brand lighters. The lighters have a green, red, blue, black or yellow body and a metal top. "BIC" and "Made in France" are imprinted into the metal top of the lighter. A label on the lighter reads, "WARNING KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN." The recalled lighters are not equipped with a metal shield over the spark wheel. The child-resistant lighters have that shield. The recalled standard size lighters have the UPC number "3 086120 600020" and the mini-lighters have the UPC number "3 086120 600051."Convenience, gas, and grocery stores in the central U.S. sold these disposable cigarette lighters from September 2002 through December 2002 for about $1.Consumers should stop using these lighters immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 anytime.

Hazard

The lighters do not have child-resistant mechanisms, as required by federal law. Young children could ignite the lighters, presenting fire and burn hazards.

Incidents & Injuries

CPSC and Montrose Wholesale Candies & Sundries are not aware of any injuries involving these lighters. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injuries.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using these lighters immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Refund) at no cost to you.

If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident, they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.

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