The Water-Soluble Film Surrounding Tide PODs

Tide PODs deliver a powerful, safe and effective clean in a convenient, pre-measured single dose laundry detergent pac. Each Tide POD uses advanced multi-chamber technology to tackle tough stains while whitening and brightening your laundry—all in one easy step.

What is the film on the outside of a Tide POD?

The film around detergent pods is made from polyvinyl alcohol (also known as PVA or PVOH), designed to dissolve completely in water. This ensures that the detergent inside is released effectively, providing a thorough clean. Tide's PVA film is engineered to dissolve even in cold water, allowing for efficient cleaning without the need for hot washes. Trusted by scientists, doctors, and backed by EPA’s Safer Choice program, PVA/PVOH is used in many common everyday essentials including contact lenses and medication.

While you may have heard that PVA used in laundry detergent pods contributes to microplastics, there is overwhelming scientific evidence that Tide PODs film does not create microplastics.

Feature / Characteristic	Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Used in Detergent Films	Most Common Microplastics Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyamide (PA), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
Water Solubility	Detergent-grade PVA has been scientifically confirmed to be: Water-soluble in laundry and dishwashing conditions ^{[1, 2]} Designed in a way to maximize the solubility of the PVA ^{[2, 3]} Water-soluble ^[2] at levels 50X higher than you would find in a dishwasher or laundry machine, using the international standard for polymer solubility ^[4] Detergent grade PVA is so soluble that it dissolves down to the individual molecules, which do not and cannot reform into particles. This means there is no solid surface for toxic substances in the water to adsorb onto. ^{[5, 6, 7]}	Microplastics are insoluble ^[32]. Even the smallest possible fragments are collections of multiple molecules which do not dissolve. This means they can accumulate in bodies of water. This means they have a solid surface to adsorb and transport other toxic chemicals. ^{[8, 9, 10]}
Biodegradability	Detergent-grade PVA degrades during the normal wastewater treatment process, using universally recognized standard testing methodologies (OECD 301B, 302B). ^{[11, 12, 13]} It breaks down consistently and reproducibly across a range of laboratory sites, geographical locations, and under a variety of testing conditions, even in river water. ^[14]	Microplastics are extremely persistent in the environment, with degradation timelines ranging from decades to centuries, depending on conditions ^[10].
Presence in Water Bodies	Zero evidence of detergent-grade PVA has been found in the aquatic environment, including zero presence found in drinking water ^[15].	Microplastics have been detected in oceans, rivers, lakes, fish, birds, plankton, and remote areas, and in drinking water ^{[10, 15, 16, 17, 18]}.
Accumulation in Living Species	It is not considered a risk, as it does not accumulate. Detergent-grade PVA has never been found in the human body ^{[19, 20, 21, 30, 31]}.	Microplastics will accumulate due to their solubility in cells’ fat structures and have been found in most parts of the human body ^{[10, 21]}.
Presence in the Home Environment	Detergent-grade PVA has never been found in the home environment, even in dishwasher and washing machine use or homes ^{[1, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26]}.	Microplastics have been found in numerous household products as solid particles ^{[1, 22, 23, 25, 26]}.
Toxicity	The environmental safety and human safety of detergent-grade PVA has been confirmed by the EPA, FDA, and other agencies around the world – and it is approved for use in things like detergent pods, eye drops, and the coating of medications ^{[19, 20, 21, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31]}.	Microplastics can be harmful to marine life and pose a physical hazard to animals. They can also absorb pollutants due to their solid surface ^{[7, 8]}.
Generally Recognized as a Microplastic	No, detergent-grade PVA is not generally recognized by the scientific community as a microplastic ^{[10, 32, 33]}.	Yes, all these materials fit the generally accepted definition and categorization of a microplastic ^{[10, 32]}.

What is Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)?

The water-soluble film around Tide PODs is made from polyvinyl alcohol (also known as PVA or PVOH). Known for its safety and effectiveness, PVA is a common polymer that plays a role in ensuring detergent products are compact, concentrated, and easily dissolve in the wash.

The American Cleaning Institute is debunking myths around detergent pods and PVA. For more information, click here.

Are PVA and Microplastics the same?

No, PVA and microplastics are not the same. PVA films are designed to dissolve in water, making them fundamentally different from the durable plastics that break down into microplastics.

There is overwhelming scientific evidence that PVA films do not create microplastics, and studies show no evidence of toxicity or bioaccumulation potential for the soluble form of PVA used in detergent pods and sheets.

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The Water-Soluble Film Surrounding Tide PODs

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