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Water:
Phosphorus Limit in Dishwashing Detergent

Our Position: support
Bill Number: hb303
Sponsor: Rep Christine Johnson (D-Salt Lake City)
Legislative Session: 2008 General Session

Status

Action Needed

Please call or e-mail Governor Huntsman to ask him to sign this bill.  Contact information is below.

Rep Johnson's legislation passed the house on a 46-19-10 vote on February 21st.  It wouldn't hurt to thank your representative if she/he voted the right way.  Check out how your representative voted here.

The Senate Rules Committee is sitting on this bill; rules members have prioritized other bills ahead of this.  It's up to us to let them know we want to see this bill pass.  The most important thing you can do now is to call or e-mail your senator to ask for support for this important measure.  Here are some potential points to make:

1)  With limited water flows in the West--and the potential for even lower flows as a result of global warming--it's important to take every step we can to protect water quality.  Excessive phosphorus levels threaten water quality in many of Utah's heretofore clean waters.

2)  Performance of low-phosphorus detergents has improved substantially over the years and will continue to do so.  By phasing in the requirement over two full years, manufacturers and distributors will have a chance to sell all existing stocks before the regulation comes into effect.

3)  Many of Utah's creeks and lakes no longer meet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for water quality and are on the so-called 303D list.  These water bodies are considered impaired by the EPA.  We need to take strong measures to help Utah's waters get the federal government's black list.

Contact

The phone number for Governor Huntsman from the Salt Lake area is 801/538-1000.  For in-state long-distance calls, use 800/705-2464.  One can send the governor an e-mail message through his website.

To contact your representative or senator, check out the legislative district maps.

Background

Read the amended text of HB 303 here.

Phosphorus in dishwashing detergents is a significant sources of water pollution currently.  It fosters unhealthy growth of algae and can seriously reduce dissolved oxygen.  Dissolved oxygen is an important component of most healthy aquatic ecosystems.

Washington State passed a nearly identical regulation in 2006.  The Washington regulations come into force in two stages, 2008 and 2010.  Read more about it in a 2006 Seattle Times article.

The most recent listing of Utah's impaired waters, also known as the 303D report, dates from 2006.  Read it here.