For more than 50 years, child-resistant closures have been required by law for many packaged goods products. The Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970 established rules for how these features should be created and implemented, and provisions have been steadily added over time.
The regulations have undoubtedly improved safety for children nationwide, yet some brands still have trouble finding the right packaging solutions that meet those standards.
Still, there are various common types of closures you can choose from, including:
- Dispensing closures (such as trigger sprayers, spout caps for glass bottles or other glass containers, disc top caps, or other dispensing caps)
- Non-dispensing closures (such as snap-top caps and lug caps)
- Plastic closures (such as plastic caps, pail lids, shrink bands, or orifice reducers)
- Non-plastic closures (such as metal caps, lids, continuous thread closures, or other types of packaging closures)
Dymapak is known for creating lab-certified child-resistant packaging that checks the boxes for quality, durability, and user-friendly functionality. Keep reading to learn about the top closures you should look for and the key features your products need.
Do Your Products Need Child-Resistant Closures?
Knowing whether you need child-resistant packaging closures is your first step to finding the right solution. Not every product type needs to meet the standards of the PPPA, but these regulations impact an increasing number of industries.
Here are the top use cases for child-resistant closures, so you can plan and connect with a trusted supplier if needed.
Food Products
The food industry relies on various packaging materials and formats, from snacks and prepared foods to individual ingredients and specialty items. In most cases, child-resistant closures aren’t required, but regulations for specific product types are ramping up.
Food products containing common allergens create hazards in the home for children with food allergies to nuts, shellfish, gluten, and more.
Food brands are beginning to introduce child-resistant seals, caps, and other mechanisms that prevent unwanted access to these ingredients and minimize the possibility of cross-contamination in the kitchen.
Pharmaceuticals
In the pharmaceutical space, high-quality child-resistant closures are a universal standard. This goes for brick-and-mortar pharmacy stores and mail-orders pharmacies without customer-facing locations.
Rigid containers with push-and-twist cap closures are a standard child-resistant cap solution for consumer products in pharma. A growing number of distributors are also adopting flexible packaging.
OTC Drugs
Over-the-counter medicines require child-resistant closures with their primary packaging layer. While paperboard containers are usually used as outer packaging, child-resistant caps, and seals are needed to prevent children under five from accessing the contents.
Supplements
Though supplements tend not to have the same hazards as pharmaceuticals and OTC drugs, they can be toxic in high amounts or improperly.
This means brands making vitamins, supplements, and nutraceuticals must ensure child-resistant closures on all their products to distribute and sell safely.
Household Products
From pet medicine to household cleaners, fertilizers, and pesticides, this category is broad in scope and nearly always necessitates child-resistant closures.
Child-resistant zippers are commonly used in flexible packagings like bags and pouches, while various push-and-twist cap mechanisms are shared among rigid formats.
Cannabis
The fast-growing cannabis industry is highly regulated, and child-resistant closures are the norm in medicinal and recreational markets.
Brands distributing flower, edibles, topicals, concentrates, and vape products must deliver child-resistant, tamper-evident closures to satisfy regulators and retailers while keeping customers safe.
What Should You Look for in Child-Resistant Closure?
Knowing industry-specific requirements for child-resistant packaging is a good start, but what exactly do these closures need regarding features and functionality? Use this checklist to ensure your packaging solutions are up to the task and fully compliant.
PPPA Approved
Each state has specific requirements for child-resistant closures, but most of these rules fall under the jurisdiction of the PPPA standards created decades ago.
So long as the closures are significantly difficult for children under five to open, they will earn the approval needed to move forward with the distribution.
Lab-Tested and Certified
Regulations are the key concern from a compliance standpoint, but private lab testing is the next layer of assurance that brands and customers can count on.
Dymapak uses lab testing consistent with CPSC standards and conforms to the requirements of the PPPA, and all packaging comes with pre-printed warnings that take out all guesswork.
Tough for Kids, Easy for Adults
Part of the child-resistant packaging commitment is making closures accessible to adults and seniors while preventing access by children. This means closures should require a specific technique to open and not rely purely on strength or external tools.
Seamless Integration With Packaging
The best child-resistant closures are streamlined with the packaging to create a product that still looks great on the shelf or in the home.
Dymapak’s solutions include seamlessly integrated closures that don’t detract from the overall appearance and provide a premium look and feel to your best-selling products.
Child-Resistant Closures for Bags and Pouches
Child-resistant packaging comes in many forms based on the product type and format. This includes flexible and rigid packaging, from glass jars and kraft paper bags to Mylar plastic pouches.
Here’s what you should look for in child-resistant closures for pouches and bags and how Dymapak creates the leading solution in this class.
Key Features
With child-resistant pouches and bags increasingly in demand, there are a few features that are expected by customers and retailers.
These include:
- Resealable closures that also meet child-resistant standards
- Tamper-evident tabs that indicate if a product has already been opened
- Seamless integration with the pouch or bag to add no extra bulk
- Customizable dimensions that fit your product type and best practices
- Full range of printing and labeling options for quality branding
- Materials like Mylar that are difficult to rip or tear
- Strong barrier resistance to light, oxygen, and moisture
- Instructions that make access easy for adults yet difficult for kids
As more industries jump on the flexible packaging bandwagon, ensure your products have these essential features to accompany child-resistant closures.
Dymapak’s Resealable Solution
The Dymapak Secure Sack and Secure Sack Eco feature an innovative child-resistant seal that fits perfectly with the format. The seal can only be opened by placing pressure on a specific part of the outer package layer, indicated by a small dot.
When pressure is applied to the dot, users must separate the inner plastic layer on the opposing side. Simply tugging at the outer layers will not result in the package opening. This makes access easy for adults and seniors, while children cannot interpret or complete the process.
Secure Sacks are also fully customizable in sizing, printing, and other special features like vape and preroll inserts. This is the complete flexible packaging solution for any product requiring child-resistant closures.
Child-Resistant Closures for Tins
Rigid packaging is still very popular despite the quick rise of flexible bags and pouches. These containers offer stronger physical barrier protections to products that may be more fragile or need extra protection during shipping or storage.
Key Features
Whether dealing with glass, hard plastic, paperboard, or other rigid materials, your child-resistant rigid packaging needs to have some key safety features.
These include:
- Resealable closures that are repeatedly child-resistant
- Tamper-evident tabs such as paper, stickers, or other indicators
- Customizable sizes for jars, jugs, tins, or different container types
- Full range of physical barrier properties and other hazards
- Functional push or twist top caps that meet PPPA standards
- Fully customizable printing, labeling, and branding options
Rigid containers aren’t going anywhere, so meet these high standards when bringing your best products to the marketplace.
Dymapak’s SecuriTin Solution
Dymapak’s SecuriTin is the leading rigid packaging solution with a lab-certified child-resistant mechanism. The container can only be opened by applying pressure to specific points on the lid, which must then be twisted to a certain degree to achieve access.
The tins are extremely tough with a proprietary steel, plastic, and silicone construction. They can also be customized to your size, labeling, and printing specifications.
Child-Resistant Closures for Liquid Dispensers
Liquid dispensers can be difficult to manufacture with compliant child-resistant closures, but for many product types, the standards apply nonetheless. Whether you’re selling cannabis topicals or luxury cosmetics, you’ll want a child-resistant seal that does the job.
Key Features
Liquid dispensers come in many formats and will vary based on factors like the viscosity of the contents and recommended serving size.
Here are the features you want with any product type:
- Child-resistant mechanisms that can be repeatedly put back into place
- Streamlined integration with the product to avoid bulky construction
- Full printing and labeling options for branded customization
- Push or twist mechanisms that allow for precise dispensing
- All-in-one construction that requires no extra instruments or instructions
With so many liquid products requiring child-resistant seals, the proper packaging solution can genuinely set your brand apart.
Dymapak’s Twistspenser Solution
Only Dymapak’s Twistspenser has all the features you want from a liquid dispenser, particularly for cannabis concentrate products.
The sleek design comes standard with a child-resistant cap that snaps back into place after use. The pressure-twist mechanism keeps the contents safe, and the twist-dispense format allows for precise dosing in any setting.
Find Your Complete Packaging Solution
child-resistant closures are crucial to business in today’s consumer packaged goods marketplace. From snacks and drugs to cannabis and cleaning supplies, your brand must prioritize compliance without letting quality or design fall aside.
Dymapak is a leader in the space for a reason, offering flexible, rigid, and specialty packaging solutions that surpass expectations in all key categories.
Sources:
Guide to Child-Resistant and Senior-Friendly Packaging | CPSC
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