What are the two chores in a household that are never really finished? Dishes and laundry. Throw in a couple of kids and suddenly a dishwasher becomes very, very important. (Or is it just me?) Families in the Washington counties of Whatcom and Spokane might find themselves having to choose a new brand of dishwasher detergent next week, however. The state is banning any brand that contains more than 0.5 percent phosphorus. Phosphates are naturally occurring, but are also used in many kinds of detergents. They're linked to algae blooms, which upset the delicate balance of a healthy waterway. By banning these kinds of consumer products, Washington state officials hope to protect their state's environment. By 2010, the ban will include the whole state, though for now it only affects these two counties.
Fortunately for consumers, there are several brands out there that are phosphate-free and also do a good job cleaning dishes. Consumer Reports recently recommended the following brands: Ecover (tablet and powder), Citra-Dish, 365 Everyday Value, and Seventh Generation, and as this issue gains awareness, I'm sure many more brands will be hitting the shelves.







1. Thanks for bringing awareness to phosphate free dish detergents and our cities efforts to clean up our water. However, it's not Oregon counties; Spokane and Whatcom counties are in Washington state.
For more information about the phosphate ban you should read a post from the local Spokane environmental issues blog "Down To Earth"
http://dte.spokesmanreview.com/index.php?paged=2
Posted at 3:26PM on Jun 23rd 2008 by Bart Mihailovich