Unsafe hot water bottles banned

The government has banned the sale of unsafe rubber hot water bottles, following a number of recent incidents where hot water bottles perished or leaked, in some cases causing serious burns, Consumer Affairs Minister Judith Tizard said today.

"Due to concerns about the standard of some hot water bottles currently on the market, I have issued an Unsafe Goods Notice, banning the sale of rubber hot water bottles that do not meet the current British Standard," Judith Tizard said.

"The Unsafe Goods Notice will be in place for 18 months, during which time the Ministry of Consumer Affairs will look at developing a Product Safety Standard for rubber hot water bottles."

Judith Tizard said a Product Safety Standard would give New Zealand consumers confidence that rubber hot water bottles meet acceptable international safety standards.

"In the meantime, I would urge consumers to check the safety standard on their hot water bottles and if they are unsure whether it is genuine, either dispose of the hot water bottle or contact the Ministry of Consumer Affairs hotline 0508 627 774."

Judith Tizard said she had asked officials to investigate the quality of hot water bottles available in New Zealand stores, following a high number of recent complaints about unsafe hot water bottles.

The investigation found that in some brands of hot water bottles the rubber was less than the required thickness of 1.4 mm. Many of these were marked with the British Standard BS 1970, but on closer inspection didn't appear to meet the standard.

Judith Tizard said that regardless of the standard, people needed to take care when filling and using hot water bottles.

"I would advise people not to use boiling water when filling a hot water bottle, and to cover the bottle in some way, for example by wrapping it in a towel.”

Contacts: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Measurement & Product Safety Service, freephone: 0508 627 774 (0508 MAPSS Info), www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz

Erica Guiney, Private Secretary 04 471 9360 or 021 716 393, email:erica.guiney@parliament.govt.nz