Two New York state lawmakers have introduced a bill to make laundry pods less attractive, and have sent a letter to Procter & Gamble, calling on the company to overhaul its colorful liquid detergent Tide pods.
Assemblywoman Arabella Simotas and Senator Brad Hoylman both have young children at home. They say they worry about the attractiveness of the laundry pods, that are brightly colored green, blue and purple, and in some cases smell just like candy, but if ingested can cause severe internal burns and poisoning.
“They are so alluring,” said Hoylman. “They smell sweet and they look like gummy bears. The combination, though could be deadly.”
Senator Hoylman says there’s an average of 30 incidents a day of young children trying to eat the pods, and two deaths have resulted. They say seniors with dementia are also at risk, and six adults have died eating the detergent. They are asking that the pods be wrapped in child resistant packaging, and be made in a duller, more uniform color.
They say if the pods are less attractive, it might quell what’s become known on social media as the Tide Pod challenge, where teenagers record themselves biting down on the pods.