Why choose phosphate free detergents?

What are phosphates and why do we worry about them?

A switch by consumers to phosphate-free detergents could lead to significant improvements in our waterways which are increasingly threatened by phosphate pollution.

Phosphates are chemical compounds containing phosphorus (a naturally occurring mineral) and oxygen, as well as other minerals, such as calcium and sodium. Crucial for plant growth and development, it is estimated that half the world’s food supplies rely on phosphate fertilisers. However, phosphates also affect water quality.

Phosphate pollution in streams, rivers and other waterways leads to big blooms of algae that swamp aquatic plants and starve fish and other water creatures of oxygen. Phosphates feed the algae, which grow out of control, creating imbalances that destroy other life forms and produce harmful toxins.

Phosphate leads to widespread pollution

Excess phosphates create water that's cloudy and low in oxygen. All plants need phosphates to grow, but too many of them in water results in algal blooms which reduce the sunlight available to other plants. When the algae and other plants then die, the bacteria that breaks them down uses the available oxygen in the water, suffocating other aquatic life.

According to the WWF, each kilogram of phosphorus that reaches the sea can produce up to 500 kilograms of algae. As an example quoted on their site, phosphates from detergents are estimated to have contributed between 9 and 24 percent (or 3,000-6,000 tonnes per year) of all anthropogenic phosphorus in the Baltic Sea.

Phosphate sources

Phosphates in water come from a range of sources. One of them is laundry and dishwasher detergents. When released into the flow of wastewater coming from homes and businesses, these can have far-reaching environmental impacts because phosphates are still active after wastewater treatment.

Why are phosphates used in detergents?

Phosphates are common additives in automatic dish detergents and laundry detergents because they can remove oil and grease and soften water. Phosphates make detergents more efficient by treating the calcium and magnesium ions. However, when our cleaning products go down the drain, phosphates eventually make their way into our waterways.

Are phosphates OK for us?

Laundry detergents with phosphates can irritate the skin, causing hives. Phosphate residues on dish surfaces have also been reported to have caused nausea and diarrhoea. There have been studies linking them to cancer.

Buying detergents that contain phosphates

Since 2010, 17 states in the U.S. have banned the sale of phosphorus-containing detergents and in 2021 the European Union (EU) was making moves to ban phosphates from dishwasher detergent. So, why are many of us still using detergents that contain chemicals which are not safe for people, pets or the environment? If the label on your detergent says something akin to “hazardous to humans and domestic animals”, why do we continue to use it in our places of work and our households?

Phosphate-free detergents are here

Searching for environmentally friendly phosphate-free washing detergents is a healthy choice for the environment and on our website, it’s easy. We have a variety of phosphate-free products for you to check out. We sell phosphate-free dish washing liquids and laundry detergents.

Feel free to talk to us about how we can help you can incorporate eco-friendly detergents at your home or business. Call 0508 467 462 or you can email us at any time.