France has recalled a line of Olympic-branded water bottles for children, a week before the Games’ opening ceremony in Paris.
The reusable bottles contain excessive levels of a chemical, Bisphenol A, says the official consumer recall agency, Rappel Conso.
The white flasks stamped with the Olympic rings and the Paris 2024 mascot, or the flame, were issued in August last year and sold until June.
The authorities have urged people to return the bottles to the stores they bought them from.
Bisphenol A – which has been widely used in making food containers – has been the subject of ongoing assessments about its safety to consumers.
According to France’s food safety agency Anses, it is an endocrine disruptor – meaning it interferes with the body’s hormones – and is believed to be linked to health issues including breast cancer and infertility.
Associated with a wide array of health issues, Bisphenol A has been banned in France since 2015.
Rappel Conso’s website says the bottles made by the Vilac company have “levels of Bisphenol A not in line with regulations” on products designed for contact with foods.
The 2024 Summer Olympics, an international multi-sport event is scheduled to be held in France from 26 July to 11 August 2024.
