With the solar eclipse just hours away, yet another company is warning customers against using the glasses handed out at its stores.
Dutch Bros. Coffee issued the warning at 2:38am Monday morning, saying an internal investigation has led them to question the certification of the glasses and they are no longer confident in the glasses’ eye protective qualities.
The chain, which has over 260 locations in seven states, is urging people to return them for a free drink of their choice.
ATTENTION! Please share.https://t.co/21iZBzb5Y9 pic.twitter.com/WA3sPW1K4V
— Dutch Bros Coffee (@DutchBros) August 21, 2017
It’s the latest in a series of recalls for eclipse glasses. Last week Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) recalled 8,000 pairs of glasses. And questions arose about pairs given away by Richland County, SC.
Unsafe glasses have been flooding the market for months, some even bearing the ISO logo and certification consumers have been told to look for. Amazon issued refunds to some customers earlier this month after finding some of the glasses it had sold might not comply with industry standards.
Authorities have warned people repeatedly not to look at the eclipse without the proper safety equipment, but last minute recalls like the one at Dutch Bros. are especially frustrating for people affected, since finding eclipse glasses at this point is extremely difficult, especially in cities along the path of the totality. And the few places that do have remaining authorized inventory are commanding a premium for them.
Officials say, at this point, a pinhole camera is the safest way to watch the astronomical event live if you don’t have a set of glasses that have your full confidence.