Dishwasher detergent may make your stemware sparkle, but the phosphates contained in most brands are among the most damaging pollutants in the Chesapeake Bay.I wasn't aware of the dishwasher detergent-Bay pollution link until this bill came along. I looked for phosphate-free dishwasher detergent at my grocery store, but every brand contained around 8% phosphate.
Now, Virginia is poised to ban phosphates from all home dishwasher detergents, a move environmental groups say will reduce one of the major contaminants dumped in the bay each year. [...]
Under the new rules, phosphorus will be eliminated from home dishwasher detergents except for a trace level of a half-percent or less.
Virginia joins Maryland in banning phosphates from dishwasher detergent effective 2010. It's a small step towards improving the Bay's health, but every step is a good one!
I buy the Seventh Generation dishwasher detergent which contains no phosphates. http://www.seventhgeneration.com/Free-and-Clear/Dishwasher-Detergent My local Harris Teeter carries some Seventh Generation products, but not the dishwasher detergent yet, so I get it at My Organic Market in Alexandria.
ReplyDeleteTrader J's man, it's got everything (almost). Their store brand d-washer det. is phosphate-free though. Cool stuff on the VA/MD bans--is the VA one looking like it'll def go through?
ReplyDeleteYou're right Googla, I don't want to have to buy my dish detergent somewhere besides Harris Teeter, but I guess I'll have to.
ReplyDeleteBrendan, Gov. Kaine has signed the VA phosphate ban into law and it will take effect in 2010.