poison matters 101: Silica Gel, Poisonous or Not?

Did you ever wonder what was in those little packets found in new purses, shoe boxes, and other new items? The warnings on the packet are enough to scare anyone; “Do not eat”, “Throw away”. Small children are curious and will put anything in their mouths as they explore their environment, it is how they learn. When my daughter was a toddler these “little packets” were my worst nightmare, the packets were in everything I purchased. I would find one or numerous packets in a new item I had purchased; I would automatically dispose of the packet. As far as I was concerned this product contained some toxic substance made of silicone that would cause immediate death to my child. I would think what are the manufactures thinking? People purchasing these items do not have any small children or health concerns being exposed to this toxic substance. Imagine myself as a new mom carrying these packets with tweezers to the trash as if the item was “red hot or radioactive”; turns out my fears were over played and rather comical at times.

My burning thought was “What is silica gel and why does the package have all the warnings?” Working in the health care, I learned something so simple and how over reactive I was. There are numerous calls to health care providers and poison control centers about ingestions of silica gel packets every day, even trips to the emergency room. A key concept that is missing is the need for education on what silica gel is and how it would be beneficial to everyone know what it is and why the warnings.

What is silica gel?

Silica gel is a drying agent, which is meant to reduce the humidity in an enclosed space. Silica gel is also known as desiccant packet and is used to preserve the quality of the object inside the packaging. Without these desiccant packets the item could be damaged by humidity or the presence of moisture. The use of silica gel packets started in World War II to keep penicillin dry as it was shipped from location to location in all extremes of weather. Current uses for silica gel packs can be found in boxes of new shoes, purses, medication bottles, electronics, or other items shipped. The silica gel if made from a form that is similar to sand, silicic acid. Silica gel is used to absorb the moisture in the product to prevent damage to the item in the shipping process.

Silica gel is non-toxic substance that is not poisonous if eaten.

The warnings are on the package mention to “do not eat” for two reasons, 1) it is not a form of food, and 2) it is a choking hazard. The small packet or gels can potentially block the airway of a small child or animal as a choking hazard. The warning mentioning to “throw away” serves as a reminder there is potential for harm to if a small child or animal has access to the product.

Helpful tips for safety with silica gel packets

· When purchasing a new item such as shoes, purse, or medication remember to look and dispose of silica gel package immediately.

· Depending on the item purchased there may be multiple packets of silica gel depending on the size of the item.

· The easiest method to dispose silica gel pack is to break open or cut prior to discarding the packet, thus eliminating the choking hazard.

· If ingested make sure the child or animal is not choking, provide with a glass of water to drink to clear the particles. Call your local poison control center immediately.

Manufactures are attempting to change the packaging of silica gel packets to reduce the choking hazard.