WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE -
It could soon be the end of your favorite dish detergent here in Wisconsin. Governor Doyle just signed a bill banning the use of Phosphorus in dish washing detergent. While the chemical might be great for your dishes, but may be bad for our lakes and rivers.
It might be hard to comprehend how something you do in you kitchen is related to smelly, harmful algae in Lake Michigan. Environmental experts say it is related, and that's why you will probably soon be shopping for a new dish detergent.
If you own a dish washer, you probably run it several times a week. In the powder or tablets you use to get your dishes squeaky clean is the chemical Phosphorus.
Where does that dirty dishwater eventually get dumped? The chemicals end up in Lake Michigan.
Dr. Harvey Bootsma studies algae growth at the Great Lakes Water Institute, and he says there's an excess of algae along the shore of Lake Michigan called Cladophora.
Not only can it lead to fewer fish in the lake, it can also be downright stinky. Bootsma said, "A lot of it washes up on the shore and from there it starts to decompose and rot. It doesn't look very nice, once it's rotting it doesn't smell very nice either."
Starting July 2010, Wisconsin will join twelve other states by banning the use of Phosphorus in dishwasher detergent.
A store called Future Green in Bay View specializes in environmentally friendly products. They carry a brand named Bio Shield. On the label of these products it says get full cleaning owner without the use of Phosphates. Owner Lisa Sim says, "As soon as they try Bio Shield, they've seen results beyond expectations and really pleased with it."
Besides what it may do in your dishwasher, Sim says it's really all about what it does for the planet.
FOX 6 also spoke with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District, and they say the waste water is being treated for Phosphorus. The also admit they can't get all of it, because it would be too expensive.
It might be hard to comprehend how something you do in you kitchen is related to smelly, harmful algae in Lake Michigan. Environmental experts say it is related, and that's why you will probably soon be shopping for a new dish detergent.
If you own a dish washer, you probably run it several times a week. In the powder or tablets you use to get your dishes squeaky clean is the chemical Phosphorus.
Where does that dirty dishwater eventually get dumped? The chemicals end up in Lake Michigan.
Dr. Harvey Bootsma studies algae growth at the Great Lakes Water Institute, and he says there's an excess of algae along the shore of Lake Michigan called Cladophora.
Not only can it lead to fewer fish in the lake, it can also be downright stinky. Bootsma said, "A lot of it washes up on the shore and from there it starts to decompose and rot. It doesn't look very nice, once it's rotting it doesn't smell very nice either."
Starting July 2010, Wisconsin will join twelve other states by banning the use of Phosphorus in dishwasher detergent.
A store called Future Green in Bay View specializes in environmentally friendly products. They carry a brand named Bio Shield. On the label of these products it says get full cleaning owner without the use of Phosphates. Owner Lisa Sim says, "As soon as they try Bio Shield, they've seen results beyond expectations and really pleased with it."
Besides what it may do in your dishwasher, Sim says it's really all about what it does for the planet.
FOX 6 also spoke with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District, and they say the waste water is being treated for Phosphorus. The also admit they can't get all of it, because it would be too expensive.
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