The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) are urging parents to take immediate action to ensure their family is not exposed to the hazards posed by liquid laundry packets or capsules, because young children who are exposed to the highly concentrated, toxic detergent are at risk of serious injury.
According to the ACCC website, to prevent unintended exposure to the toxic chemicals in the packets, the following steps are recommended:
•Do not let children handle the laundry packets
•Keep the liquid laundry packets sealed in their original packaging, and make sure they are locked up and out of a child's sight and reach
•Ensure your hands are dry before using a laundry packet/capsule, and wash and dry your hands thoroughly after each use
•If swallowed or in contact with the eye:
•In the United States, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222
•In Australia, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26
•If swallowed, rinse as much of the detergent as possible from the mouth
•If in contact with the eye, flush the eye with water for at least 15 minutes