Procter & Gamble Plans To Make All Laundry Detergents Phosphate-Free

Procter & Gamble said it plans to remove phosphates from the laundry detergents it manufactures within two years. Accounting for the largest share of the U.S. laundry detergent market and more than 25 percent of the global market, P&G stopped using phosphates in laundry detergents sold in the United States in the early 1990s as part of its participation in the industry group American Cleaning Institute’s voluntary program. It also removed phosphates from laundry detergents sold in Europe several years ago. When it reaches waterways, sodium triphosphate, the most commonly used phosphate in laundry detergents, can cause environmental damage, such as algae blooms, decline in oxygen levels, and fish kills.