The Best Options for Child-Resistant Packaging

It’s essential for any company that sells potentially harmful products to use child-resistant packaging. According to research, a child dies every 12 days because of accidentally ingesting medication, and the CDC indicates that about 60,000 annual ER visits are due to accidental ingestion of medicine by kids under five.

That’s why a whole government agency – Consumer Product Safety Commission – is devoted to ensuring child-resistant packaging meets the necessary standards. This article will discuss everything you need to know about child-resistant packaging.

What Is Child-Resistant Packaging?

Child-resistant packaging, or CRP, is meant to keep children away from products that could endanger them while ensuring grownups can still open and close them easily. According to UNICEF and WHO, CR packaging is one of the best-documented methods for curbing accidental poisoning in children.

A child-resistant package normally requires a unique way of opening it that’s too complex for most children to understand. For instance, users might need to push or squeeze a cap while turning it. Also, non-resealable packs like blister packs can be made child-resistant by using covers that require peeling off.

Why You Need Child-Resistant Packaging

The primary reason for child-resistant packaging is to keep children safe since many products at home are potentially hazardous. The Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970 (PPPA) helps ensure children’s safety in the presence of such household substances as liquid nicotine, bleach, deodorants, medicines, gels, moisturizers, perfume, hand sanitizer, and more.

In fact, two American companies have had to recall essential oil products because they were not child-resistant. Using child-resistant packaging ensures that items are packaged in a manner that reduces the chances of potential ingestion by children. It’s a brand’s responsibility to ensure the safety of their customers’ children.

For instance, the legalization and popularity of cannabis have raised the question of child resistance, and regulations have been passed to address the issue.

Since cannabis edibles have high levels of psychoactive THC, children may experience severe symptoms.

Child-resistant packaging doesn’t only safeguard your consumer’s children and create confidence in your brand but also protects you from liability.

Product packaging is the initial point of contact between your brand and your consumers. Hence, using packaging with an impactful first impression can make your business successful. In addition to shelf presence and labeling design, child safety is a crucial factor when it comes to products like cannabis and medicine.

Child-Resistant Packaging for Cannabis

Cannabis is not legal at a federal level. The federal government doesn’t offer packaging regulations for cannabis goods apart from the typical labeling requirements for all supplements, food, and beverages. This makes understanding cannabis packaging requirements challenging.

Therefore, special packaging requirements for both recreational and medical cannabis are determined by state laws and can vary significantly, depending on the manufacturer’s location. Numerous states have strict child-resistant packaging requirements.

What Are the Types of Child-Resistant Packaging

Caps and Closures

Most popular locking mechanisms for caps and closures include squeeze and turn, push and turn, and turn and lift. You’ve likely seen these closures on over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

The mechanisms in these caps have threads that only align when the user disengages the locking system. Disengaging involves squeezing from the sides or pressing from the top, which is something most children under five can’t do.

Child Resistant Sprays

The majority of sprays come with a cover that hides the spray head. The cover has a typical squeeze-and-turn system or other mechanisms. Household chemicals, like pesticides and cleaning products, and household products typically feature these child-resistant closures.

For instance, there is a mechanism where the over-cap has a top lock. After opening it, the consumer needs to invert the cap and snap it on the container’s top. The cap works as a spray head.

Child-Resistant Slider

This is a resealable pouch featuring a slider. It has a press-to-engage mechanism where the slider tab aligns with the ridges only when the consumer presses down on it.

While a child might find it difficult to open the package, it’s easy enough for adults, seniors, and disabled people to open.

Child-Resistant Metal Tins: Do They Work?

Child-resistant metal tin uses a unique screw cap that prevents children from accessing the contents of the container. Manufactures make double-screw top tins to ensure child resistance to toxic household items and pharmaceuticals.

It is a strong, food-grade storage tin for locking in aromas and keeping products like cannabis edibles and flowers fresh. This packaging is eco-friendly as it is 100% recyclable and reusable.

The container is also durable, secure, and portable. The plastic counterparts can come apart and contaminate the edibles with microplastics, which is not the case with child-resistant metal tins.

A metal tin uses food-grade materials free from toxins, and its lid has a unique sealant that safeguards the cannabis products from degradation.

Child-resistant metal tins offer a shockproof capability to prevent products from breaking. For instance, cannabis blunts are susceptible to breaking if not handled well, and child-resistant metal tins prevent that.

Moreover, child-resistant tins allow companies to brand their products and develop attractive designs that can make a difference to their bottom line. You can use exciting colors, a mind-blowing logo, great graphics, and incredible design to lure in customers with your packaging.

Metal tins are coated with chromium to safeguard the container from corrosion and prevent rusting, keeping the contents safe from contamination.

Child-Resistant Plastic Canisters: Are They Sustainable?

No. Child-resistant plastic canisters are not sustainable. After use, plastic ends up in landfills and oceans, affecting ecosystems. When exposed to light, plastic wastes emit greenhouse gasses that lead to climate change.

That’s why child-resistant reusable plastic canisters are better. But still, there’s a downside. Reusable containers are more durable and robust enough to withstand more prolonged use. They also need to be cleaned regularly, which means they consume a lot of energy and resources. As a result, this increases their carbon footprint.

There are different materials for making canisters, and research shows that Styrofoam containers are better for the environment. They use 7.8 grams of raw materials, which is better than the 31.8 grams used for polypropylene of similar size.

Styrofoam containers also require less energy during production than aluminum containers. This plastic canister reduces global warming, acid rain, toxicity in natural ecosystems, and adverse effects on the ozone layer.

Why Mylar Is the Most Popular Material for Child-Resistant Bags

Mylar bags are popular as child-resistant bags since they can be reusable or single-use for child-resistant purposes. Single-use mylar bags have a permanent sealing that requires a scissor or knife to open.

Others have a sealing mechanism with a heat-sealing section. Opening the package requires you to bend the sealed area and tear it. Since bending and tearing are done at a particular section, children can’t access package contents.

Reusable Mylar bags have a flexible opening and closing system and allow you to use them multiple times. They include zipper, push pin, pinch, and thump-pocket zip-seal types.

Zipper mylar bags have a zip and a lock at the bag’s end. After closing the zipper, the consumer needs to put the hock in the lock to secure the bag. Manufacturers will often include an additional polymer layer covering the zipper and lock.

Pushpin mylar bags also have zips at the upper end for opening and closing. The zip locks after closing it, which means you’ll need to use a small pin for lifting the lock to open the bag.

Thump-pocket zip pockets have a more straightforward zipper system covered by a locked layer. It comes with a marking or small box showing the thumb area. The consumer will have to place their thumb there to remove the protective lock.

Pinch-type mylar bags require the consumer to pinch on one end for access. Children will not be able to open by pulling and shaking.

What Are the Benefits of Child-Resistant Mylar Bags

Child-resistant mylar bags can be opaque, which is essential because light can affect the color, odor, taste, and potency of products like cannabis buds. The core of the foil is constructed from aluminum, and as the bag keeps the light out, the flower retains its natural odor, flavor, and color.

Mylar bags are efficient at keeping contents free from oxygen and humidity, which maintains freshness and quality while increasing the product’s shelf-life.

Mylar bags can be reused multiple times; that’s why it’s convenient to use child-resistant locking systems to keep contents away from children. You can wash them before every refill. Since mylar bags are available in different sizes, you can use them regardless of the size of your product.

Moreover, they are tear-resistant, making them last for a long time. They’re robust too, which ensures that the contents are not damaged during the period of use.

How To Buy Child-Resistant Packaging

When buying child-resistant packaging from your favorite packaging supplier, consider various factors.

Opening Mechanism

A popular opening mechanism requires the consumers to apply downward force and twist the lid anticlockwise simultaneously to open the package. However, you should consider other child-resistant options, depending on your product.

Your package must comply with child resistance guidelines and have a child-resistant design, preventing children under five from accessing the contents. However, adults and seniors should be able to open up with ease.

The Opacity of the Packaging

Some states require that cannabis businesses use an opaque package to prevent casual observers from determining the contents and remaining quantities. Opaque containers offer the discreteness that consumers need when buying and using cannabis goods.

Messaging and Warning Labels

Warning labels keep consumers informed of product and health care risks, protecting them and their children. In the case of cannabis products, the labels must have strain type, dosages, THC levels, and more.

Child Resistant Package Testing

For the container to be fully child-resistant, state laws require the package to undergo rigorous testing procedures in an accredited and independent lab.

According to the federal child resistance guidelines, children under five should be given the packaging to try opening it for some time. At the 10-minute mark, the success of the packaging’s child resistance will be determined.

While most kids should have an issue opening the packaging, it’s also essential for seniors and adults to have an easy time opening it.

Should I Buy Child-Resistant Packaging in Bulk?

Buying child-resistant packaging is cost-effective for your business. Wholesale prices are slightly cheaper than retail prices, and you will start to see gains in the long term. Your shipping costs will also decrease as you’re making fewer trips, and you can negotiate even better prices with your supplier.

Our wholesale prices also allow you to sell products more affordably to your consumers. This means you’ll make more sales and increase your profits. Buying in bulk also allows you to be environmentally conscious. One shipment uses less packaging and less fossil fuel energy for transport than numerous trips.

Pick a Compliant Material That Matches Your Brand

The retailer must be up to date with the latest child-resistant packaging regulations by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Therefore, visit the CPSC.gov site to check the latest resources, regulations, and product recalls before choosing a material for your packaging.

It’s essential to involve an attorney to understand your rights and the specific laws. Find one with experience and knowledge regarding CPSC regulations.

Some manufacturers might offer child-resistant packaging that hasn’t passed testing; hence you must know this and refuse the package to keep your consumers safe and your brand consumer-focused.

How To Get a Quote for Child-Resistant Packaging

Are you looking to be a VIP client with a trustworthy and reliable packaging vendor? We will have your back. We understand that every business has its own needs, and that’s why we customize packages depending on each customer.

We’ll consider your colors, sizes, and marketing information when we find the ideal packaging for your brand. Get a quote and learn more about Dymapak today.

Ready To Order Child-Resistant Packaging?

If you’ve read up to this point, one thing is clear. Your products need child-resistant packaging to keep your consumers’ young children safe from potentially harmful material. This is important for your business, too, as it keeps you free from liability when consumers file suits for harm products do to children.

It’s time to make your order for child-resistant packaging. Contact us today!

Sources:

Protect Kids From Accidental Drug Overdose | Consumer Reports

Poison Prevention Packaging Act | CPSC.gov

Guide to Child-Resistant and Senior-Friendly Packages | CPSC.gov