An Emerging Health Hazard – CDC Sounds the Alarm on Single-use Laundry Detergent Pods

Back in 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report noting that exposure to single-use laundry detergent pods is an “emerging public health hazard in the United States,” with young children being most vulnerable.

That was two years ago, and the accidents continue to happen. In 2013, poison centers around the country received reports of 10,387 exposures to highly concentrated packets of laundry detergent by children 5 and younger. Already this year, another 6,698 exposures have been reported.

In August, there was a report out of Minneapolis about a 13-month-old Minnesota girl who spent a week in the intensive care unit after ingesting one of the detergent pods which was blue, similar to the blueberries she had just been eating.

Also, over a week’s time at Baystate Children’s Hospital, four toddlers were admitted to the hospital — three to the Pediatric ICU and one to the Infants and Children’s Unit, after biting into or ingesting detergent from one of these pods.

All of these children required endoscopy — the insertion of a scope into the throat — due to difficulty breathing or swallowing. Two had ulcerations or burns in their throats and around their vocal cords. These burns were due to the very high pH of these pods, which causes damage to the tissue.

The CDC’s report noted that “children might be attracted to detergent pods because their colorful appearance and size are similar to candy.”

These pods are small, bright, and shiny — just the perfect size for a toddler to put into his or her mouth. They look almost like toys or gummy bears. Parents note that, when children bite into or put these pods into their mouths, the pods ‘explode,’ spraying their contents into the back of the mouth and throat. This is believed to contribute to the extent and depth of the burns seen with these types of injuries.

One of the reasons that people buy this type of detergent is that it is convenient. Rather than carrying a large bottle to the laundry room or laundromat, parents can toss a couple of pods into the laundry basket to bring with them. But small children are quick and can pick them up out of the basket and put them into their mouths in seconds.

Even though some manufacturers have made the lids of these containers more secure, they do not have child-proof lids. Even if they did, this would not alleviate the problem when the pods are carried out of the container. And it’s a parent’s responsibility to keep these pods away from their children.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers recommends the following steps to protect your child:

• Always keep detergents locked up and out of the reach of children;

• Follow the specific disposal instructions on the label; and

• If you think a child has been exposed to a laundry packet, call your local poison center at (800) 222-1222.