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Lawmakers Consider Mandate To Make Laundry Detergent 'Pods' Safer

(CBS) -- They're bright, colorful, and can be deadly to children.

A group of U.S. senators wants detergent "pods" off the market -- at least the way they're packaged now.

CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez has more on legislation proposed Thursday.

"How would a child know the difference between something toxic and somethings that sweet until they bite into it?" U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said.

Since these laundry detergent pods went on the market two years ago, studies show one child died and 17,000 others were poisoned after ingesting them. Among those harmed were Jill Koziel's 8-month-old daughter.

"I heard Kate gag, and turned to see the packet drop from her mouth," she said.

Kate experienced breathing difficulty, wheezing gagging and drooling.

"These packets are not like ordinary detergent," Koziel said.

They're far more toxic. Chicago doctor Kyran Quinlan represented the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"We should require child resistant packaging, better labeling and change the ingredients to make detergent pods less toxic," he advised lawmakers.

The Detergent Poisoning and Child Safety Act proposed would require those changes. But Sen. Durbin is calling on the industry to act now.

He points out many household products require child-resistant packaging. This measure would give the detergent industry 18 months to do the same with laundry detergent pods.

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