The European Commission recently proposed banning phosphates and limiting phosphorus-containing compounds in all domestic laundry detergents across the European Union (EU). If approved by the European Parliament and the EU member states, the regulation would take effect January 1, 2013. The proposed regulation would limit phosphorus content to 0.5 % of the total weight of the product in all laundry detergents on the EU market. The draft regulation excludes detergents used with automatic dishwashers and the use of detergents by professionals “as technically and economically feasible alternatives are not yet available throughout the EU,” the commission says.