In 2015 there was a 30-fold increase in the rate of corneal burns from laundry pods in children age 3-4. Over the 3 year period from 2012 to 2015, there were 480 children who suffered corneal burns from playing with laundry pods. This represented 26% of corneal chemical burns from all sources in that age group.
The detergent within laundry pods is highly concentrated as well as caustic. It is also pressurized and when punctured can easily squirt out of the water-soluble film that houses it. Laundry pods started to enter the market in large quantities and soon became popular due to their ease of use. Ingesting the liquid may cause injury and even death.
The brightly coloured packets and their soft texture are attractive to young children who may think they are toys. The eye injuries can also happen if the toddlers rub the detergent into their eyes after having broken the seal.
