CPSC Warns about Risks from Laundry Packets

CPSC November 20 warned about the risks to children and adults from single-use laundry packets. Its safety alert (see www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/390.pdf) was a response to some 500 incidents in 2012, including loss of consciousness, excessive vomiting, breathing difficulty requiring intubation, ocular burns, and more. CPSC explained that “these packets dissolve quickly and release highly concentrated toxic chemicals when contacted with water, wet hands, or saliva.”

It urged handling them only with dry hands, keeping them from children, and keeping them in sealed original packaging until use. The American Cleansing Institute, in response, issued a statement including, “Education is the key to prevention of injuries.” The group said it is increasing such efforts, including TV, print, and web ads as well as in packaging icons. CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum issued this statement:

“Time in the laundry room should result in clean clothes, not a call to the poison control center and a trip to the emergency room. Ingestion and eye injuries involving laundry packets containing toxic chemicals are impacting kids and adults and becoming an emerging hazard nationwide. Reducing a child's exposure to these packets in particular is a must. I believe this can be achieved through a combination of safer packaging being used by all manufacturers of laundry packets and increasing consumer awareness of the dangers that these packets pose. CPSC is keeping all options on the table to tackle this product safety issue and protect consumers, including taking action under the Consumer Product Safety Act and the exploration of rulemaking under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act.”