From the end of 2013, ALDI supermarkets will no longer sell laundry detergents containing phosphates. It’s a major breakthrough for Do Something’s campaign to ban phosphates in Australia’s laundry detergents.

It’s also a big win for Australia’s waterways and consumers. The ban will be implemented at no extra cost to consumers and the new phosphate-free laundry powders and liquids will still give the same high quality wash as before.

The decision was taken after ALDI’s discussions with Do Something! Founder Jon Dee. Dee said the ban is a role model that other supermarkets must follow:

“If ALDI can ban phosphates in laundry detergents in over 250 stores, then we believe that Coles and Woolworths should do the same.”

As it currently stands, Australian supermarkets are selling phosphate-based laundry detergent products that would not be allowed in American supermarkets. This cannot continue. If the Americans won’t sell them, then we shouldn’t either. Coles and Woolworths are responsible corporate citizens and Do Something! believe they should join ALDI in taking action on behalf of Australia’s waterways. They should match ALDI and give detergent companies till the end of 2013 to phase out the use of phosphates in laundry powder and laundry liquid products.

“It’s great to see ALDI taking the lead on this,” says Dee. “America’s detergent companies banned phosphates in the 1990s, so why can’t their Australian counterparts do the same?”

Share This

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

About the author

EthicalLiving.com.au