Introduction

Assessment of the consequences of a possible ban on phosphates in household detergents

Based on the Detergent Directive Article 16 the EU Commission may release a proposal on limitation on usage of phosphates in household detergents. A similar proposal is part of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan.

So far, the Danish opinion has been that the regulation should take place at a national level. The reason given by the Danish Environmental Agency is that discharge of phosphates in Denmark is efficiently limited by the wastewater treatment and information on the environmental impact of the alternative substances is missing.

This project focuses on the consequences of a possible ban of phosphate in laundry detergents but includes also consequences of a possible ban of phosphate in automatic dishwashing products. The project identifies substances for substitution of phosphate in laundry and automatic dishwashing detergents and includes an ecotoxicological risk assessment of selected substitutes. The consequences on the wastewater treatment from the substitution of phosphate and the increased use of the alternative substances are evaluated.

The project was preformed by DHI. The project group consisted of Torben Madsen, Kim Gustavson, Tina Slothuus, Anne Rathmann Pedersen, Ulf Nielsen and Kenneth Frants Janning.