Longitudinal trends in liquid laundry detergent packet exposures: 2014–2022

Abstract

Background

Liquid laundry detergent packet exposures modestly declined in the mid-2010s among children less than 6 years of age due to public awareness and voluntary product safety standards. We aimed to assess longitudinal trends in the number and rate of liquid laundry detergent packet exposures in the United States by age.

Methods

Data from the National Poison Data System were analyzed to characterize liquid laundry detergent packet exposures between January 2014 and December 2022.

Results

From 2014–2022, there were 114,826 single and polysubstance exposures to liquid laundry detergent packets. Children less than 6 years of age (86.8 percent) were most commonly exposed. When evaluating multi-year trends, we found that the annual exposure rate per 1 million children less than 6 years old increased by 16.8 percent from 392.6 in 2018 to 458.7 in 2020. Subsequently, the annual exposure rate in children less than 6 years of age declined by 6.8 percent from 2020 to 2022 (427.4 exposures per 1 million). The annual rate of adolescent exposures increased by 85.4 percent from 2014 (4.1 exposures per 1 million) to 2017 (7.6 exposures per 1 million), with a subsequent increase of 155.3 percent from 2017 to 2018 (19.4 exposures per 1 million). Among adults, the annual exposure rate increased by 147.1 percent from 2014 (1.7 exposures per 1 million) to 2022 (4.2 exposures per 1 million). The number of more serious medical outcomes and hospital admissions among children less than 6 years of age declined by 44.3 percent and 68.6 percent, respectively, between 2014 and 2018.

Conclusions

Despite declines in the number, rate, and severity of liquid laundry detergent packet exposures among children less than 6 years old, the exposure burden remains high. Additionally, exposures have increased among older children, adolescents, and adults. Renewed safety efforts are warranted to protect prior public health gains and further reduce exposures.

Keywords:

• Child
• detergent packet
• poisoning
• product packaging

Acknowledgement

America's Poison Centers maintains the National Poison Data System, which houses de-identified records of self-reported information from callers to the country's Poison Centers. National Poison Data System data do not reflect the entire universe of US exposures and incidence related to any substance(s). Exposures do not necessarily represent a poisoning or overdose and America's Poison Centers is not able to completely verify the accuracy of every report. National Poison Data System data do not necessarily reflect the opinions of America's Poison Centers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

No external funding was used for this study. The authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.