Laundry detergent pods are easy to use, don’t lend themselves to messy spills, and, apparently look so much like candy that they’ve been declared a risky item to have around children.
Laundry detergent pods are easy to use, don’t lend themselves to messy spills, but apparently look so much like candy that they’ve been declared a risky item to have around children.
A study on the matter has been released, and according to it, during 2012 and 2013, over 17 thousand children younger than 6 were exposed to the chemicals either through ingestion or in their eyes.
Many required medical attention, ranging from ER visits to stays in the intensive care unit.
One went into cardiac arrest almost immediately after ingesting one of the packets.
He was resuscitated, but died only days later.
One poison control worker said that the effects have been much more harmful than anticipated, and it’s widely recommend that the laundry solutions be stored well out of a child’s reach.
Many consumers and advocates have suggested making the containers harder to break into and coming up with a less toxic cleaning formula.
Procter & Gamble, the makers of Tide, has already responded to the concerns by switching to a triple latch lid.
Others plan to follow, but in the meantime, just going back to the big liquid jug has been identified as an individual interim solution.
