Sweden announces further phosphate restrictions

2444, 06/12/07

Sweden will ban phosphates in laundry detergents from next March, the environment ministry announced on Thursday. The move is the latest in a series of measures aimed at combating eutrophication (EED 30/04/07 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/23114).

Sweden's announcement coincides with a report from the environmental protection authority (EPA) in neighbouring Denmark that attempts to reduce the use of linear alkylbenzene sulphonates (LAS), another surfactant group, have been less successful than in Sweden, where "eco-labelling holds a very large market share compared with Danish conditions".

See Swedish environment ministry press release http://www.miljo.regeringen.se/sb/d/9900/a/93781, Danish EPA press release http://www.mst.dk/Kemikalier/Nyheder+kemikalier/forbrug_af_las.htm (Danish) and report

http://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publikationer/2007/978-87-7052-634-0/html/helepubl.htmhttp:/www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publikationer/2007/978-87-7052-634-0/html/helepubl.htm (English summary).

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