Paper By Umweltbundesamt On The Relevance Of Professional Laundry And Machine Dishwashing On The Entry Of Phosphate And Other Phosphorus Compounds (P) Into Wastewater

In June 2021 the German Federal Environment Agency published a research document aimed at determining the relevance of professional laundry and machine dishwashing with regard to the entry of phosphate and other phosphorus compounds (P) into the wastewater.

In a first step, an overview of the various technical processes used in professional laundry  and machine dishwashing is given. Further, the question of where phosphates could already be eliminated today or where phosphate is essential for optimal cleaning – taking hygiene, energy, and water consumption into account – is addressed. Based on the quantities of phosphorus used in professional laundry and machine dishwashing, an assessment of the impact of a reduction in the use of phosphorus in the commercial sector on water quality is made.

The assessment shows that the sector contributes circa 0.7 to 1.6% of the total Ptotal inputs to surface waters. This supports that in the upcoming review of the Detergent Regulation the phosphorous restrictions currently applied to consumer laundry and automatic dishwash, should not be extended to other product categories. Such a reduction is not expected to result in a measurable change in water quality or a measurable contribution to the objectives of the Water Framework Directive.

Link to full original document: Relevanz der gewerblichen Textil- und Geschirrreinigung am Eintrag von Phosphat und anderen Phosphorverbindungen (P) in das Abwasser | Umweltbundesamt 

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