Parent Alert: Tide Pods may look like candy to children

By Philip Copitch, Ph.D.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that a popular new form of laundry detergent may be mistaken by children as candy:

Since 2010, laundry detergent pods have become a growing component of the U.S. laundry detergent market, and have been available in other countries. Based on data from other countries, exposures to laundry detergent pods more often occur among children, and exposure to laundry detergent from pods appears to be associated with adverse health effects more often than does non-pod laundry detergent exposure.

Tide Pods laundry detergent

 The bright packaging may be confusing to children:

The CDC advises:

To children, laundry detergent pods might look like candy. As with other household cleaners, these products should be kept out of reach and out of sight of children. Laundry detergent pod exposures might be associated with increased frequency and severity of adverse health effects when compared with non-pod exposures.

Parents and caregivers should be particularly aware that young children might be drawn to laundry detergent pods because of their candy-like appearance, and that exposure to laundry detergent from pods has been associated with more severe adverse health effects. Parents need to ensure they can prevent children from gaining access to household cleaning products, particularly laundry detergent pods. Clinicians and caregivers are encouraged to report laundry detergent exposures and cases of associated illness to their local poison center by calling 1-800-222-1222.

Health Hazards Associated with Laundry Detergent Pods — United States, May–June 2012

On a positive note

Procter & Gamble Co., the maker of Tide announced it will make Tide Pods more difficult to open.

A double latch will be put on the lid of Tide Pod tubs and should be in markets in the next couple of weeks, P&G spokesman Paul Fox said.