Washington state begins ban on dishwashing detergents

[RedEarth]

The dishwashing detergent aisle won't look the same after July 1.

Detergent products, including major brands such as Electrasol and Cascade, will be removed from the shelves in some counties as the state begins implementing a ban making it illegal to sell or distribute dishwashing detergents containing more than 0.5 percent phosphorus.

The ban is directed toward residential use and does not affect commercial or industrial use, state Department of Ecology spokeswoman Katie Skipper said. The ban will take effect statewide in 2010, but Whatcom and Spokane counties have been singled out to begin the ban this year.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/100/story/41374.html

[NJmaverick]

1. Strange, why are they doing this?

[RedEarth]

2. from the article...............

A number of water bodies in Whatcom County, including Lake Whatcom and the Nooksack River, are considered impaired because oxygen levels are below state water quality standards, Skipper said.

Part of the pollution problem is caused by the phosphorus in waste water, Skipper said.

Phosphorus feeds algae blooms, and when algae die, their decay uses up oxygen, choking lakes and streams, suffocating salmon and other aquatic life, Skipper said.

Phosphorus can leak into water bodies through industry and wastewater treatment plants, storm-water runoff or even through faulty septic systems, Skipper said.

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/442699.html

[kestrel91316]

9. What's strange is that business gets an exemption. WTF???

[goddess40]

3. I didn't think anything had phosphates in it anymore

I thought they were banned years ago.

[Kolesar]

4. It is detergent with phosphates, not all detergent

Great Lakes states have been doing this for decades because the phosphorous upsets the oxygen balance in the lakes.

Ohio was the last because Procter and Gamble Co. lobbied against the ban and they are in Cincinnati

[Cronopio]

5. "The ban is directed toward residential use and does not affect commercial or industrial use ..."

Oh, good - letting off the big contributors to the problem while sticking it to the marginal contributors. Brilliant solution.

[depakid]

10. Typical for Washington State

Too little, too late.

[Cronopio]

14. At least I can comfort myself with the thought of how worse it would be if Rossi were governor.

Cold comfort - yes, but it's something.

[Dr.Phool]

6. I don't think a lot of people commenting understand the issue.

When I was a kid, Lake Erie had terrible algae blooms that killed off a lot of the fish. John Glenn remarked when he was orbiting the Earth, that Lake Erie looked like a big bowl of pea soup.

In the early '70s, Ohio banned the use of phosphates in detergents and the blooms stopped. Now Lake Erie has a thriving fishing, watersports and recreation industry.

Before that, you couldn't even swim in it.

[Mojorabbit]

7. What brands are there

that do not have phosphates in them? I'd love to know so I can change over.

[RedEarth]

8. here are some brands mentioned in the article

In the meantime, local stores are preparing to provide lowphosphorus detergents for their customers.

Haggen will be offering 18 low-phosphorus detergents, 10 of which are new to the store, according to Haggen spokesman Dave Brumbaugh.

Some of the brands already sold at Haggen that comply with the state law are Seventh Generation, BioKleen, Ecover and Top Crest. Many of these products cost more than high-phosphorus detergents, Brumbaugh said.

Seventeen detergent products will be dropped by Haggen, including nine Cascade products and four Electrasol ones, Brumbaugh said.

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/442699.html

[Mojorabbit]

16. Thanks! n/t

[Sinistrous]

13. I'm using Palmolive Eco+ (it's phosphate free). n/t

[Phred42]

11. Wow - kind of reminds you of the 70's .... man

:hippie:

Stuff like this used to happen more back then

[mrs_p]

12. washington native here

and i think this is a good thing. every year there are fewer dungeoness crab and healthy shellfish in the Hood Canal b/c of the algae blooms. it's a shame really b/c there is nothing - i mean nothing - like spending the day on the rocky beaches swimming, boating, reading, and then bringing in the crab pot for dinner. fertilizer from people's lawns are also a source of nitrogen and phosphorous and should be regulated as well...

[Cronopio]

15. Why do you hate lawns?

Take away habeas corpus and nullify the 4th amendment, but don't go attacking people's lawns.

It's one of the few things Americans have left to be proud of.