CHAPTER 4: Hazardous Exposures to Liquid Laundry Detergents Capsules in Young Children

L. Settimi; E. Idahosa-Taylor; Stacey Wyke; F. Davanzo

doi:10.1039/9781782623687-00052

CHAPTER 4: Hazardous Exposures to Liquid Laundry Detergents Capsules in Young Children

L. Settimi, E. Idahosa-Taylor, Stacey Wyke, F. Davanzo

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Liquid laundry detergent capsules (LLDCs) are single-unit-dose detergents consisting of about 32-50 ml of a concentrated detergent mixture encased in a water-soluble membrane. LLDCs are usually brightly coloured and small in size making them very easy for young children to grab and investigate further by biting or squeezing, leading to the membrane bursting and exposure to the capsule contents with potentially harmful consequences. Case reports from paediatric departments and case series studies from European and USA Poison Control Centres (PCs) allowed recognition of LLDCs as an unexpected source of moderate- and high-severity injuries, particularly among young children and provided an informative basis to support the adoption of voluntary and legislative preventive measures to improve consumers' safety. Data reported in the available literature indicate that exposures to LLDCs are more hazardous than exposures to traditional laundry detergents. To address this, EU legislation now requires improvements to the packaging of LLDCs to prevent or minimise accidental exposures in children. Further efforts should be devoted to reducing the intrinsic toxicity of the content of LLDCs and their attractiveness to children.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Chemical Health Threats
Subtitle of host publication	Assessing and Alerting
Editors	Tom Gaulton, Samuel Collins, Raquel Duarte-Davidson, Stacey Wyke
Publisher	Royal Society of Chemistry
Pages	52-63
Number of pages	12
Edition	38
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/9781782623687-00052
Publication status	Published - 2019

Publication series

Name	Issues in Toxicology
Number	38
Volume	2019-January
ISSN (Print)	1757-7179
ISSN (Electronic)	1757-7187

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
aIstituto Superiore di Sanità, via Giano della Bella 34, 00162, rome, Italy; bPublic Health England, Centre for radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science Park, Fermi Avenue, oX11 0rQ, UK; cASSt Grande ospedale Metropolitano niguarda, Centro Antiveleni di Milano, Piazza dell'ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162, Milan, Italy *E-mail: laura.settimi@iss.it

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Copyright:
Copyright 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

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10.1039/9781782623687-00052

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Settimi, L., Idahosa-Taylor, E., Wyke, S., & Davanzo, F. (2019). CHAPTER 4: Hazardous Exposures to Liquid Laundry Detergents Capsules in Young Children. In T. Gaulton, S. Collins, R. Duarte-Davidson, & S. Wyke (Eds.), Chemical Health Threats: Assessing and Alerting (38 ed., pp. 52-63). (Issues in Toxicology; Vol. 2019-January, No. 38). Royal Society of Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1039/9781782623687-00052

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title = "CHAPTER 4: Hazardous Exposures to Liquid Laundry Detergents Capsules in Young Children",

abstract = "Liquid laundry detergent capsules (LLDCs) are single-unit-dose detergents consisting of about 32-50 ml of a concentrated detergent mixture encased in a water-soluble membrane. LLDCs are usually brightly coloured and small in size making them very easy for young children to grab and investigate further by biting or squeezing, leading to the membrane bursting and exposure to the capsule contents with potentially harmful consequences. Case reports from paediatric departments and case series studies from European and USA Poison Control Centres (PCs) allowed recognition of LLDCs as an unexpected source of moderate- and high-severity injuries, particularly among young children and provided an informative basis to support the adoption of voluntary and legislative preventive measures to improve consumers' safety. Data reported in the available literature indicate that exposures to LLDCs are more hazardous than exposures to traditional laundry detergents. To address this, EU legislation now requires improvements to the packaging of LLDCs to prevent or minimise accidental exposures in children. Further efforts should be devoted to reducing the intrinsic toxicity of the content of LLDCs and their attractiveness to children.",

author = "L. Settimi and E. Idahosa-Taylor and Stacey Wyke and F. Davanzo",

note = "Funding Information: aIstituto Superiore di Sanit{\`a}, via Giano della Bella 34, 00162, rome, Italy; bPublic Health England, Centre for radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science Park, Fermi Avenue, oX11 0rQ, UK; cASSt Grande ospedale Metropolitano niguarda, Centro Antiveleni di Milano, Piazza dell'ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162, Milan, Italy *E-mail: laura.settimi@iss.it Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Copyright: Copyright 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2019",

doi = "10.1039/9781782623687-00052",

language = "English",

series = "Issues in Toxicology",

publisher = "Royal Society of Chemistry",

number = "38",

pages = "52--63",

editor = "Tom Gaulton and Samuel Collins and Raquel Duarte-Davidson and Stacey Wyke",

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Settimi, L, Idahosa-Taylor, E, Wyke, S & Davanzo, F 2019, CHAPTER 4: Hazardous Exposures to Liquid Laundry Detergents Capsules in Young Children. in T Gaulton, S Collins, R Duarte-Davidson & S Wyke (eds), Chemical Health Threats: Assessing and Alerting. 38 edn, Issues in Toxicology, no. 38, vol. 2019-January, Royal Society of Chemistry, pp. 52-63. https://doi.org/10.1039/9781782623687-00052

CHAPTER 4: Hazardous Exposures to Liquid Laundry Detergents Capsules in Young Children. / Settimi, L.; Idahosa-Taylor, E.; Wyke, Stacey et al.
Chemical Health Threats: Assessing and Alerting. ed. / Tom Gaulton; Samuel Collins; Raquel Duarte-Davidson; Stacey Wyke. 38. ed. Royal Society of Chemistry, 2019. p. 52-63 (Issues in Toxicology; Vol. 2019-January, No. 38).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

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PY - 2019

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N2 - Liquid laundry detergent capsules (LLDCs) are single-unit-dose detergents consisting of about 32-50 ml of a concentrated detergent mixture encased in a water-soluble membrane. LLDCs are usually brightly coloured and small in size making them very easy for young children to grab and investigate further by biting or squeezing, leading to the membrane bursting and exposure to the capsule contents with potentially harmful consequences. Case reports from paediatric departments and case series studies from European and USA Poison Control Centres (PCs) allowed recognition of LLDCs as an unexpected source of moderate- and high-severity injuries, particularly among young children and provided an informative basis to support the adoption of voluntary and legislative preventive measures to improve consumers' safety. Data reported in the available literature indicate that exposures to LLDCs are more hazardous than exposures to traditional laundry detergents. To address this, EU legislation now requires improvements to the packaging of LLDCs to prevent or minimise accidental exposures in children. Further efforts should be devoted to reducing the intrinsic toxicity of the content of LLDCs and their attractiveness to children.

AB - Liquid laundry detergent capsules (LLDCs) are single-unit-dose detergents consisting of about 32-50 ml of a concentrated detergent mixture encased in a water-soluble membrane. LLDCs are usually brightly coloured and small in size making them very easy for young children to grab and investigate further by biting or squeezing, leading to the membrane bursting and exposure to the capsule contents with potentially harmful consequences. Case reports from paediatric departments and case series studies from European and USA Poison Control Centres (PCs) allowed recognition of LLDCs as an unexpected source of moderate- and high-severity injuries, particularly among young children and provided an informative basis to support the adoption of voluntary and legislative preventive measures to improve consumers' safety. Data reported in the available literature indicate that exposures to LLDCs are more hazardous than exposures to traditional laundry detergents. To address this, EU legislation now requires improvements to the packaging of LLDCs to prevent or minimise accidental exposures in children. Further efforts should be devoted to reducing the intrinsic toxicity of the content of LLDCs and their attractiveness to children.

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CHAPTER 4: Hazardous Exposures to Liquid Laundry Detergents Capsules in Young Children

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