Laundry detergent pods are causing more problems for families with young children. Joan McVoy with Nebraska Regional Poison Center says they resemble candy so there have been problems in the past with children eating them.
The latest concern is with children squeezing them and the packet breaks and squirts them in the eye. McVoy says these detergents aren't like the liquid detergent that comes in a bottle. She says, " They are super-charged, super concentrated detergent and since they are alkaline they have a chance to penetrate more quickly. They cause a lot of pain if children get them in the eye and if irrigation isn't done immediately it can cause a bad chemical burn to the eye."
In 2012, Poison Centers received twelve calls from parents reporting the detergent in a child's eye. In 2015, that number increased to 480 calls. In January, calls to Poison Centers across the country with various concerns about the pods totaled almost 800 and last year there were nearly 12,000 calls.
A recent survey shows that 61% of those who use them still store them in reach of small children.
McVoy says it is very important to keep the number to the Nebraska Regional Poison Center handy at all times. That number is 1-800-222-1222.