ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Association of Poison Control Centers and the experts at America’s 57 poison centers are urging the public, especially parents, to keep highly concentrated “single dose packs” of laundry detergent up and away from children, according to Debbie Carr, AAPCC executive director.
Coin laundry owners and operators can assist by reminding their patrons about the safe use and storage of these products.
As of Nov. 29, more than 5,000 children age 5 or younger have been exposed to single-dose laundry packets in the United States this year, according to the AAPCC, which is charting reported exposures with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some children who swallowed the packets have become ill and required hospitalization. Other children have gotten the detergent in their eyes.
The AAPCC recommends the following steps:
- Always keep detergents out of the reach of children
- Follow specific disposal instructions on the label
- If you believe a child has been exposed to the contents of a laundry detergent packet, call the local poison center at 800-222-1222 immediately
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