A new study reveals laundry detergent pods can be extremely dangerous for children. Even though the number of children below the age of six that are exposed to these detergent packets has reduced, it is still an issue.
Researchers say now older individuals are more exposed to these products have actually increased.“The numbers are still unacceptably high,” said Dr. Gary A. Smith, DrPH, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and a co-author of the study, told a news portal.
For the study, researchers examined data from the National Poison Data System . The team made notes of all the calls made to poison centres that were associated with these pods. They studied data between 2012 and 2017. A reported 72,947 exposures to liquid laundry detergent packets were made during those years. Children under the age of six were primarily exposed.
Even though safety standards were put in place to tackle this issue, it wasn't up to the mark. “Requiring that all liquid laundry detergent packet packaging be PPPA-compliant(Poison Prevention Packaging Act) would be an important next step in reducing child access to these products,” Smith told a news portal.
Liquid detergent pods have been found to be dangerous due to its "candy-like" packaging. “Whenever we do educational outreach with kids this age, the 5 to 6 year old age range, it’s really surprising. You could show them these products and they can have trouble distinguishing them from candies and gummies and things. The same with older adults who may have cognitive issues or dementia,” said medical director of the Fresno/Madera division of the California Poison Control System, Dr. Rais Vohra.
Better preventative measures and strategies can help reduce the rates of people of all ages exposed to the dangers of these pods.
