Clean Water:
Limiting phosphorus in dish detergent

Our Position: support
Bill Number: HB2322
Sponsor: Rep. Timm Ormsby
Legislative Session: 2006

This bill will extend the limitation on the phosphorus in laundry detergent to include automatic dish detergent. Phoshaptes enter water bodies and stimulates excessive algae growth, which ultimately robs the water of oxygen and makes it unsuitable for recreation. Safe, effective, phosphate-free detergents are already on the market and among the most effective, according to Consumer Reports.

Status

Here's a link to more info. Scroll down to see the roll call votes.

Action Needed

Contact your Representative and urge them to support HB 2322.

Background

Problem: Phosphates from automatic dishwashing detergent degrade water quality. Phosphorus enters water bodies from several sources including fertilizers and dish detergents. In fact, most dish detergents contain between 4 and 8 percent phosphate content by weight, about the same amount as household fertilizers, such as Miracle Grow.

In water bodies, phosphorus can cause excessive algae growth. Algae rob the water of oxygen that fish and other aquatic life need to survive, making the water body less suitable for recreation.

This bill will limit the amount of phosphorus in automatic dish detergent. Phosphate free dish detergents are already on the market, and are some of the most effective, according to Consumer Reports.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why do we need a bill, can’t local governments do this where it’s a problem?

A patchwork approach that varies from one town to the next isn’t practical for a widely distributed consumer product. A statewide lim

Why didn’t the original ban on phosphates in laundry soap extend to automatic dishwashing detergent?

In the early 1990s, the key ingredient that cleans dishes – enzymes – were not as common and cheap. It was felt that phosphate-free soaps were not as effective. That problem has now been resolved.

Do phosphates help protect the dishwasher?

There is no evidence to show that phosphates affect dishwasher performance or longevity.

Will phosphate-free dishwashing detergent get my dishes clean or will I have to use more water pre-washing and soaking them?

Phosphate-free dish detergents work great! (It’s the enzymes.) As Consumer Reports said last March, “green products can get dishes clean.” Try one and see for yourself.

When bans on laundry detergent phosphates were proposed, manufacturers made the same claims as dish detergent manufacturers make today. Yet laundry detergents clean just as well today (if not better) than they did when they contained phosphates, and washing machines today last just as long as they did in previous years.

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