By now, most people have heard that phosphates are not good for our waterways or the planet. But what do you know about Zeolites? Most people seem not to have heard of them at all.
Without getting into the science (because I am not a scientist) zeolites are what many laundry product manufacturers have replaced phosphates with.
Tri Nature products do NOT contain zeolites because their chemist, Brian McLean, uncovered scientific evidence that suggests zeolites are worse for the environment than phosphates.
Further, The Phosphate Report, by Bryn Jones (once a director of Greenpeace who led the worldwide campaign to eliminate phosphates), is based on environmental studies which compared the before and after situations in the waterways. This report found that there was little difference in terms of the damage done by phsophates or zeolites.
Zeolites were found to have caused a foaming of the waterways and mutated aquatic life. Given that phosphates can be removed from the water, unlike zeolites, it actually made them preferable for certain countries. So much so, that Switzerland revoked the no phosphates law and reintroduced them (with conditions).
Either way, neither phosphates nor zeolites are ideal for our waterways. It is disappointing that many commercial brands, including brands that claim to be eco friendly, have simply substituted zeolites for phosphates without doing their reseach .
I recommend checking if your favourite brand is up to scratch.