8.2 million bags of Tide, Gain, Ariel, others recalled for injury risk

A consumer safety regulator said the recall only applies to bags that were distributed in the United States.

U.S. consumer safety regulators say 8.2 million packages of popular laundry detergent brands considered to be defective — including Ace, Gain, Tide and Ariel — were recalled due to the possibility of a serious injury risk, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a release on Friday. 

In the massive product recall were brands like Tide Pods, Gain Flings, Ariel Pods and Ace Pods, which are all liquid laundry detergent packets that are made of "flexible film bags," the agency said. 

In the outer packing, there is what is described as a zipper track which is meant to prevent access to the product inside. According to the recall, the packages can be split near the zipper track, exposing the detergent pods. 

This poses a serious risk of injury to vulnerable populations, including children, USCPSC said. 

Possible injuries include skin and eye injuries, or the possibility that the product could be ingested. Safety regulators say that the ingestion of any significant quantity of a substance like a liquid detergent — which has components that help it spread out or absorb better, called a surfactant — can cause serious injury or even death to anyone with any underlying health issues.