The Illinois Emergency Management Agency says that pet food bowls with low levels of radiation may have been distributed to eleven Chicago area Petco stores.
Petco officials alerted the agency that stainless steel pet bowls contaminated with low levels of cobalt-60, a radioactive material, were found at it’s Moline store. While officials claim that the bowls present no immediate health risk, IEMA is working with federal officials to quickly locate and remove the contaminated bowls from store shelves.
According to agency officials, stainless steel bowls 9.25″ in diameter, with a 3.75 cup capacity and the SKU number 1047493 are contaminated and will be removed from inventory. SKU numbers can be found on labels on the bottom of the bowls. Customers who believe they have purchased a contaminated bowl can contact the store for an exchange.
Two bowls identified by IEMA at a Chicago area Petco store had radiation measurements of 50 microrem per hour. Petco said that to the best of their knowledge, all unsold bowls have been removed from shelves, but agency employees will conduct independent inspections of area stores to ensure that no contaminated bowls are sold to unsuspecting consumers.
“These bowls do not pose an immediate health risk, but we always want to prevent unnecessary exposure to radiation,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken.
Petco stores that may have contaminated bowls in inventory are:
- 2000 North Clybourn, Chicago
- 440 North Orleans Street, Chicago
- 629 East Dundee Road, Palatine
- 2204 South Harlem, North Riverside
- 4411 16th Street, Moline
- 1310-1312 East Main Street, Carbondale
- 2046 North State Route 50, Bourbonnais
- 199 South Route 83, Elmhurst
- 9645 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie
- 17930 Halstead Street, Homewood
- 11720 South Marshfield, Chicago
