Thanks To A Voluntary Ban, All Dishwasher Detergents Will Soon Be Phosphate Free

In a time where companies are attempting to squeak past guidelines and regulations by the narrowest of margins, an entire industry has voluntarily banned a dangerous ingredient – phosphates.

Treehugger says,

"The American Cleaning Institute (ACI, formerly the Soap and Detergent Association), represents most of the soap-makers in the U.S., has announced a voluntary ban on phosphates in household dishwasher detergents. This follows the banning of phosphates in many US states (such as Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin) and similar bans in Europe, and the voluntary ban of phosphates from laundry detergent in the 1990s. You could say that the soap-makers knew which way the wind is blowing."

But why is the ban on phosphates so important?

"Once phosphates are discharged into the environment, they promote algae growth in local waters. These sudden blooms of algae trigger a process called eutrophication in which local waters become starved of oxygen and devoid of life. This issue is of special concern to anyone living near a lake or pond," says eco-friendly home cleaning products maker, Seventh Generation.