When shopping for dishwasher detergent, avoid ingredients like phosphates, sulfates and synthetic fragrances. Our favorite dishwasher detergents are certified by USDA Biopreferred, EWG, EPA Safer Choice, and Leaping Bunny or PETA. 

Ingredients

Phosphates

Phosphates, like trisodium phosphate, create that luscious lathering effect. Phosphates can also cause eutrophication, which is the mineral over-enrichment of bodies of water. This can be a natural process that develops in aquatic ecosystems, but it can also indicate nutrient imbalances due to pollution. While it might sound beautiful, algal bloom – a result of eutrophication – can be harmful to aquatic life and can contaminate drinking sources. Phosphate eutrophication can cause deoxygenation of water, which can threaten marine life and submerged plants, like reeds. This can cause an indirect effect on the habitat and food source of bird species.

Sulfates 

Sulfates are a kind of surfactant, which is used to clean and create the foam we know and love. Sodium lauryl sulfate, also known as SLS, is an emulsifying cleaning agent sometimes found in soap. It’s used to break down and wash away the dirt and grime that water can’t get rid of on its own. It also happens to be a highly toxic threat to aquatic life, from algae, to frogs, to fish. Although there is some debate on sulfates, the World Health Organization (WHO) unequivocally states that SLS “...is toxic to aquatic organisms. It is strongly advised not to let the chemical enter into the environment.” 

Synthetic Fragrances

The most elusive ingredient of all might be fragrances. That’s because fragrances are protected from disclosure. While “fragrance” might appear to be one ingredient on the label, that word could potentially comprise hundreds of chemical compounds just for one scent! It’s not the scent that worries us, but phthalates, which enable fragrances to become soluble. They are known endocrine disruptors in both humans and aquatic life and can even lower the production of testosterone. Studies have found that prenatal exposure to phthalates can decrease mental and motor development in children.

Packaging

Dishwasher detergent comes in many forms, and choosing one over the other could be the difference between creating extra waste, releasing microplastics into our environment and ultimately, producing more greenhouse gas emissions. The three most common forms of dishwasher detergent are (1) liquid, (2) pods, and (3) powder. 

Liquid (Plastic Bottles)

Liquid detergent is typically packaged in a plastic bottle made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). While this form of plastic has one of the highest recycling rates in the U.S. at 30%, it’s still a plastic, which means it’s derived from petroleum (aka oil). To extract oil, we need to drill and frack, which both have a host of negative environmental consequences (*cough*, oil spills, *cough*) that are not infrequent and can devastate already fragile wildlife populations. Even if the detergent bottle uses recycled HDPE, an LCA showed that recycled HDPE actually has higher impacts on ozone layer depletion, climate change, and acidification than virgin HDPE. If you can, avoid liquid detergent to eliminate more plastic waste from being created. 

Pods

Pods have become a popular choice for detergent because of their convenience, but they are typically packaged in a water-soluble plastic, known as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Even though the water in the dishwasher should break down the PVA encasing, research has found that not all of the material breaks down, and that 7,000 tons of PVA end up passing through wastewater treatments and into our oceans each year. Since PVA can absorb antibiotics and heavy metals, it ends up carrying them across the ocean, which marine life can then eat and get sick from. Not to mention that tiny particles of plastic that end up in our waterways known as microplastics can further disrupt marine life digestion. If you’re looking for convenience, try dishwasher tablets instead of pods to eliminate the need for PVA and other plastics. 

Powder

Powder detergent is usually sold in cardboard boxes, which can be highly recyclable, but not if they’re lined with a thin coat of plastic. Curbside recycling won’t accept paper waste that has plastic attached to it, like coffee cups, and if you’re not careful, trying to recycle this type of waste can result in damages to recycling machinery. However, powder detergent is lighter than liquid, which means that it creates fewer emissions during transport. Finch recommends using a powder detergent, or a tablet if you’re looking for something even more convenient.

Fun Fact

Washing dishes with a dishwasher can reduce associated greenhouse gas emissions by 72% compared to washing manually.

Certifications
‍Here are some certifications to look for when shopping this category.