Nutrient Pollution in the

United States of America

Laundry Detergents Impact
By Steven Moutsoulas

About the Author

Steven Moutsoulas cofounded
Not Your Fathers Laundromat in
August of 2016. A Graduate from
Nichols College with
concentrations in Accounting
and Finance put him in a position
to take on the role of Chief
Financial Officer. Steven is
credited with Not Your Fathers
Laundromats initiative to be an
environmentally friendly
company.

Did you know your laundry detergent could be damaging the

environment? Your detergent of choice could be contributing to nutrient
pollution of your local waters. This white paper will inform you about an
ongoing issue regarding pollution from laundry detergents. In addition
the white paper will provide simple solutions that you can apply in your
everyday life to make a difference.

Introduction
Nutrient pollution is a major issue affecting bodies of water across the
United States of America. High levels of phosphates and nitrates are
causing bodies of water to become polluted nationwide. The
Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that, More than
100,000 miles of rivers and streams, close to 2.5 million acres of lakes,
reservoirs and ponds, and more than 800 square miles of bays and
estuaries in the United States have poor water quality because of
nitrogen and phosphorus pollution (12). The main causes of the
contamination come from agriculture, stormwater, fossil fuels, and
wastewater from house hold products.
This white paper will focus on the environmental damage caused by
household laundry detergents. Laundry detergents can have devastating
polluting effects. Nutrient pollution can have a major impact on human
health, the environment, and the economy. An in-depth look at the
nutrient pollution of Lake Erie will provide insight to an ongoing problem.
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Current Problem: High Nutrient Levels

Nutrient Pollution affects the air

and all types of water bodiesour lakes, rivers, bays, oceans,
and sources of clean water (7)

Graphic Taken from source (10)

Many laundry detergents used by consumers contain high levels of

phosphate. The phosphorus wastewater finds its way into public bodies
of water, contributing to high phosphate levels across the country: By
1983 well over 2 million tons of phosphorus was used annually in the US
for detergents alone. Since one pound of phosphorus can grow 700
pounds of algae, the damage caused by excessive phosphorus inputs was
tremendous (4).
High levels of phosphates and nitrates have been found in bodies of
water around the country. This has caused algae to grow at an
accelerated rate. When there is too much algae in a body of water
oxygen levels decrease significantly, which can be destructive to an
ecosystem since fish and other aquatic life need oxygen to survive. The
effects of oxygen deficiency are severe, Large growths of algae are called
algal blooms and they can severely reduce or eliminate oxygen in the
water, leading to illnesses in fish and the death of large numbers of fish
(7). Algal blooms have the potential to destroy entire ecosystems by
wiping out an entire populations of fish and other living species.
Harmful algal blooms (HAB) can also cause adverse effects to humans.
Direct exposure to polluted water can result in rashes, stomach illness,
respiratory problems and neurological affects (6). If certain fish are
contaminated by toxic algal blooms and then consumed, they can cause
serious health problems for humans. Human illness and death are the
primary impact of HABs, but effects on other wildlife are also important.
Some fish kills due to HABs can be spectacular in size, with millions of fish
and millions of dollars lost to local economies (3). Fishermen are
impacted by HABs because they can kill fish, or contaminate them with
bacteria making them unfit for sale. A limited catch results in less profits
or in some cases no profit. In addition national parks and vacation spots
that have polluted water have less visitors, causing them to lose revenue.

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History of Detergent Related Pollution

The above picture was taken in

1960 during protest to improve
water quality in Lake Erie. (1)

Laundry detergents were first created in the 1940s and became the
consumers first choice when washing clothes. The first detergents
contained high phosphate levels (4). Over the next 20 years, detergents
with high phosphates contributed to increased levels of algae in rivers
and lakes around the country. In the 1960s algae growth had spiraled out
of control across the country. In particular the great lakes had become so
polluted people couldnt swim in them, and aquatic life was almost nonexistent. Lake Erie had become so polluted it was deemed dead, In the
1960s, Lake Erie was declared "dead," though, ironically, it was full of life
- just not the right kind (9). With algae levels out of control, something
needed to be done.

Attempted Legislation and Bans

Timeline of Legal Action:
1970- Call for action to reduce
phosphate levels in laundry
detergents to 8.7%
1985- State legislation passed
banning phosphate in laundry
detergents
2016- No federal legislation
passed prohibiting the use of
phosphate in laundry detergents

The green coloring in the satellite

image above is from algae
blooms in like Erie in 2014. (9)

In the early 1970s the EPA and Surgeon General held a press conference
demanding regulation and change regarding levels of phosphate in
detergents. The EPA called for a reduction of detergents to 8.7%
phosphorus by weight. The three major laundry detergent companies
were in favor of the reduction because they feared harsher restrictions,
All three major detergent companies favored federal regulation of 8.7%
phosphorus limit if it would preempt states and municipalities from
passing more restrictive laws - they still feared a patchwork of local
laws(4).
No federal law has been passed restricting phosphate levels in
detergents because companies had agreed to a voluntary reduction to
8.7%. However, local governments have passed legislation banning
companies from including phosphate in detergents. In an attempt to
reduce pollution in Lake Erie, all of its surrounding states passed laws
banning detergent containing phosphate, By 1985, jurisdictions which
had enacted phosphate bans included New York, Michigan, Indiana,
Vermont, Minnesota, Dade County, Florida, Akron, Ohio, and Chicago
Illinois (4).
After the ban Lake Erie showed improvement in the short-term. Lake
Erie became the greatest ecosystem recovery in the world. Then from

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about 2003 on noticeable algae blooms were once again in the lake (5).
Lake Erie was able to recovery briefly due to the laws in place restricting
phosphate levels in detergents. However, other contributors of nutrient
pollution have increased, causing algae blooms to appear once again.
In the past, detergent companies had not been adhering to the voluntary
agreement of 8.7% phosphate. Tide laundry detergent is a product of
Procter & Gamble (P&G). Up until a few years ago P&G had different
variations of the Tide detergent to accommodate with different state
laws regarding phosphate levels, There are two types of Tide. Boxes
marked with an "0" have 0.0% phosphorus, while those with marked with
a "P" contain 10.9% phosphorus (4). Despite the agreement in 1970 to
reduce phosphate levels in detergents to 8.7%, P&G continued to put out
variations of tide that exceeded the agreed upon phosphate amount.
Since there is no federal law restricting phosphate levels, P&G was legally
able distribute the Tide variation containing 10.9% phosphate in states
without specific legislation in place.
Purclean laundry detergent is
formulated to be free of dyes,
chlorine, phosphates, and is 65%
Biobased.

In 2014, P&G announced that they would be eliminating phosphate from

all laundry cleaning products by 2016, We will be finished with our
conversion of global laundry products by 2016, and are committed to
eliminate all remaining phosphate use in the coming years (8). After
years of violating the agreement and only releasing phosphate free
detergent when required by law, P&G has finally made a meaningful step
in reducing nutrient pollution by pledging to be phosphate free by 2016.

NYFLs Solution

Seventh Generation is one of the

most popular brands for
environmentally friendly
products

Not Your Fathers Laundromat cares deeply about the environment, and
believes in taking action to help improve current conditions. In an effort
to reduce nutrient pollution and its devastating effects on the
environment Not Your Fathers Laundromat will only use USDA certified
BioPreferred products throughout our facility, Biobased products are
derived from plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and
forestry materials (11). The use of BioPreferred products will decrease
the amount of toxic chemicals released into the air and water. Not Your

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Fathers Laundromat proudly uses Seventh Generation products. Seventh

Generations Laundry Detergent is 97% Biobased and is USDA certified.

Our renewable energy sources

produce a combined 1,100 KW
per hour. These sources power
our entire facility.

To limit the amount of energy used in each wash, Not Your Fathers
Laundromat will also be washing exclusively with cold water. Heating up
the water is where a majority of the energy is used in a washing cycle,
Energy Star states that almost 90% of the energy consumed by a
washing machine goes to heating water (2). Saving 90% of energy for
each wash will prove to be extremely energy efficient given the large
amount of washes Not Your Fathers Laundromat does in a day. Not Your
Fathers Laundromat has invested in sustainable energy technology to
reduce our carbon footprint, and to provide the local community the
option to purchase renewable energy. In the open field next to our
facility we have a 500KW solar field, and a 600KW wind turbine.

Moving Forward
Nutrient Pollution continues to be an issue around the country. Bodies of
water across the country continue to suffer. Laundry detergent
containing phosphorous is only one of many factors contributing nutrient
pollution. While legislation has been passed limiting phosphate levels in
detergents in certain states no federal legislation has been passed. In
order for nutrient pollution to decrease permanently, consumers need to
be aware of the products they are using. The decision to use BioPreferred
USDA products ultimately will result in a reduction of damage to the
environment.
Not your Fathers Laundromat provides consumers with an
environmentally friendly laundry cleaning service.

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Works Cited
(1) "Burn on Big River." The Pop History Dig. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.
(2) Efficient Laundry: Wash Clothes In Cold Water To Save Energy." Ase.org. Alliance to Save
Energy, 5 Oct. 2011. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.
(3) Gilbert, Patricia M., Donald M. Anderson, Patrick Gentien, Edna Graneli, and Kevin Sellner.
"The Global, Complex Phenomena of Harmful Algal Blooms." Oceanography 2nd ser. 18
(2005): n. pag. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.
(4) Knud-Hansen, Chris. "HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE PHOSPHATE DETERGENT CONFLICT."
University of Colorado, Feb. 1994. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.
(5) Lake Erie Water Quality." Lake Erie Waterkeeper. Lake Erie Waterkeeper Inc, n.d. Web. 15
Nov. 2016.
(6) Nutrient Pollution Effect on Human Health." Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web.
15 Nov. 2016.
(7) Nutrient Pollution The Problem. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 15 Nov.
2016
(8) Phosphates." Procter & Gamble Corporation, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.
(9) Water Pollution in the Great Lakes." Great Lakes Information Network, n.d. Web. 15 Nov.
2016. Found Under Topic 5

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(10) What is a harmful algal bloom? National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. n.d.
Web. 13 Nov. 2016
(11) What Is BioPreferred?" BioPreferred.gov. United States Department of Agriculture, n.d.
Web. 15 Nov. 2016.
(12) Where Nutrient Pollution Occurs. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 15 Nov.
2016

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