Detergents Add 1.46 Lakh Tons of Phosphate to India’s Waters Yearly. This Has to Stop

When released in lakes and rivers (where our detergents end up any way), phosphates cause unnatural growth of algae, blocking sunlight, limiting oxygen supply and even foaming of lakes

By Tanvi Patel

February 28, 2020

We have become so familiar with certain commodities that we almost take them for granted.

Let’s take the example of detergents. Although seemingly harmless, they are likely to contain hazardous chemicals that keep affecting you long after the clothes are washed and dried.

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Phosphate: the softener that is harsh on our lakes

Detergents contain Phosphate, an element which, when found in its natural state is beneficial to the environment but when artificially introduced, causes the over fertilisation of plants and is a significant reason why lakes around the country are dying a slow death.

A study by four researchers in Bengaluru called for a restriction on phosphate-based detergents showing evidence that the dumping of this element in our lakes and rivers is resulting in the abnormal growth of algae, which then forms a blanket on the lake surface and restricts sunlight and oxygen from entering.

“Primary nutrient, such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, etc. contribute to eutrophication. In the freshwater ecosystem, primary producers can obtain N from the atmosphere, and hence phosphorus is the primary agent of eutrophication. Moreover, elements carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus can generate its weight by 12, 71 and 500 times, and hence phosphorous is the limiting element in primary producers. Nutrients enrichment often leads to excessive growth of invasive species (water hyacinth, etc.), which forms [a] thick mat hindering the sunlight penetration,” said the team.

The evidence is right here:

The frothing lakes of Bengaluru are quite infamous. Although the thousands of lakes, rivers and ponds across India haven’t suffered that fate, their water remains polluted due to domestic and industrial activities.

How much of that pollution is due to our cleaners?

About 2.88 million tonnes every year- that’s the estimate of how much phosphate-based detergents India uses.

“… and the total outflow of [Phosphorous] is estimated to be 146 thousand tonnes per year,” say TV Ramachandra and team.

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