Safety Interventions and Liquid Laundry Detergent Packet Exposures

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To investigate exposures to liquid laundry detergent packets among children <6 years old in the United States and to evaluate the impact of the American Society for Testing and Materials voluntary product safety standard. METHODS: Data from the National Poison Data System involving exposures to liquid laundry detergent packets from 2012 to 2017 were analyzed. RESULTS: From January 2012 to December 2017, there were 72 947 single and polysubstance exposures to liquid laundry detergent packets. Most exposures (91.7%) were documented among children <6 years old. The annual number and rate of exposures for children <6 years old increased by 110.4% and 111.9%, respectively, from 2012 to 2015. From 2015 to 2017, the number and rate of exposures in this age group decreased by 18.0%. Among individuals ≥6 years old, the annual number and rate of exposures increased by 292.7% and 276.7%, respectively, from 2012 to 2017. Annual hospital admissions among children <6 years old increased by 63.4% from 2012 to 2015 and declined by 55.5% from 2015 to 2017. Serious outcomes among children <6 years old increased by 78.5% from 2012 to 2015 and declined by 32.9% from 2015 to 2017. CONCLUSIONS: The number, rate, and severity of liquid laundry detergent packet exposures have decreased modestly in recent years among children <6 years old, likely attributable, in part, to the voluntary product safety standard and public awareness efforts. Exposures among older children and adults are increasing. Opportunities exist to strengthen the current product safety standard to further reduce exposures.

Impact of product safety changes on accidental exposures to liquid laundry packets in children

“…A more recent study also evaluated changes in counts of accidental LLP exposures reported to NPDS and showed modest decreases in the number of exposures in children <6 years old [31]. Gaw et al found decreases in exposures, HCF use, HCF admission, and serious outcomes in children <6 years old, but also reported increased exposures in older children and adults.…”

Liquid Laundry Pods: An Innovation with Potential Toxic Consequences for Children and Adolescents

“…However, these pods present potential toxic safety hazards to young children and adolescents as they contain concentrated detergent enveloped in a watersoluble membrane. 1,2 In their article, Gaw et al 3 indicate that from 2012 to 2017 there were 72,947 single and polysubstance exposures to liquid laundry detergent packets reported in the National Poison Data System:…”

“…Young children are often disproportionately represented among these exposures because of their exploratory behaviors and their attraction to the toy-and candy-like appearance of many detergent packets. 3 The industry has responded with measures to decrease the "attractiveness" of the pods, and when children do handle them, childproofing measures have been instituted with a quantifiable decrease in ingestions from 2015 to 2017. 3 However, despite these interventions, exposures continue to occur with an increase in children age 7 to 17 years.…”

“…3 The industry has responded with measures to decrease the "attractiveness" of the pods, and when children do handle them, childproofing measures have been instituted with a quantifiable decrease in ingestions from 2015 to 2017. 3 However, despite these interventions, exposures continue to occur with an increase in children age 7 to 17 years. 3 Unfortunately, some of those ingestions may have been intentional, resulting from a viral video that challenged teenagers to eat the pods.…”

“…3 However, despite these interventions, exposures continue to occur with an increase in children age 7 to 17 years. 3 Unfortunately, some of those ingestions may have been intentional, resulting from a viral video that challenged teenagers to eat the pods. 4 Additionally, increasing ocular injuries still occur when the contents of the pod squirt into children's eyes or leak on children's hands.…”