Number of young children suffering eye burns from laundry detergent packets soars 40-fold

Academics suggest the products could be redesigned to make them look less attractive to children

(Rex)

There has been a 40-fold increase in the number of young children suffering burns to their eyes because of single-use packets of laundry detergent, according to a new study in the US.

Researchers found that there were just 12 cases of three and four-year-old children suffering such burns in 2012.

But this soared to 480 in 2015, making up 26 per cent of all chemical eye burns.

The single-use packets were designed for ease of use with a dissolvable plastic bag containing the right amount of detergent for a single wash.

The researchers, of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, said the number of injuries had risen as they became more popular.

Dr Richard Sterling Haring, who worked on the study, said: “These data suggest that the role of laundry detergent [packets] in eye injuries among pre-school-aged children is growing.

“As with most injuries in this age group, these burns occurred almost exclusively in the home.

“In addition to proper storage and use of these devices, prevention strategies might include redesigning packaging to reduce the attractiveness of these products to young children and improving their strength and durability.”

The figures were compiled from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System run by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Between 2012 and 2015, there were a total of 1,201 eye burns affecting children aged three and four that were caused by or related to the products, according to a paper about the study in the JAMA Ophthalmology journal.

The burns tended to happen when children were handling the detergent and some of the contents squirted into their eye or if the pod leaked and they subsequently touched their eyes.

The American Cleaning Institute (ACI), an industry body, said: “Manufacturers of liquid laundry detergent packets are very committed to reducing the number of incidents with these products, which are used safely by millions of consumers every day.

“Data analyzed in the research letter examined accidents prior to the issuance of a voluntary safety standard for liquid laundry packets.”

These guidelines, introduced by standards-setting body ASTM International, already “directly addresses the recommendations” made by the academics, the ACI said.

“It is important to note that, by the end of 2016, more than 99 per cent of the volume of liquid laundry packets being shipped to retailers were in compliance with the ASTM standard,” it added.

“ASTM International has a process in place to examine data from 2017 (post-standard) to determine the impact of these measures on the rate of accidents.”

The standard says packets should be able to withstand “the squeezing pressure of a child” and include a soluble film containing a bitter substance, along with other measures such as warning labels.