[SEMCO] Phosphate Legislation Update

[Mike & Mary J Metzger]

P is for Phosphorus, P is for Ponds 

 

 

Phosphate Legislation Update

 

            Massachusetts Senate Bill S536 has reported out of the
Environment committee and is on its way this week to the Senate Ways and
Means Committee.

S536 would limit phosphates in household detergents to trace amounts.
Similar legislation was passed in Washington State in 2005, but the
Massachusetts bill has never made it out of the Ways & Means Committee.

 

            In the 1970's phosphates were banned from laundry detergents,
but automatic dishwashing detergents were left exempt, perhaps because few
households had automatic dishwashers then. Now households regularly dump
phosphate laden dish detergents into the waterways, leading to phosphorus
loading, and the death of ponds.  About 70% of the ponds on Cape Cod are
already impaired from too much phosphorus.

 

            While there are no solutions in sight for much of the phosphorus
loading, limiting phosphates in household detergents could prevent a
significant amount of the loading that comes from household septage.  There
are non-phosphate automatic dish detergents on the market now, but they do
not line the shelves of the major supermarkets.

 

            Shannon Ames, a legislative assistant to Senator Pam Resor, one
of the bill's sponsors, states that letters sent in the next few weeks to
the Senate Ways & Means Committee could have a great impact on providing "
momentum and interest to get the bill moving quickly," especially as "there
is a lull at the moment post budget and not very many bills are coming out
of committee yet."

 

            Emails and letters can be sent to the Senate Ways & Means
Committee, though letters carry more weight.

 

            Senator Steven Panagiotakos

            Chair, Senate Ways & Means Committee

            State House

            Room 218

            Boston MA 02133

 

 

Mary J Metzger

13 Mary Beth Lane

Harwich MA 02645

 

508-430-7099

mmetzger at cape.com

 

June 3, 2007

 

 

 

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