[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2775 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2775

    To prohibit, as a banned hazardous substance, certain household 
              dishwashing detergent containing phosphorus.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 9, 2009

  Mr. Higgins (for himself, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Jackson of 
 Illinois, and Ms. McCollum) introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To prohibit, as a banned hazardous substance, certain household 
              dishwashing detergent containing phosphorus.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) phosphorus loading of surface waters can stimulate the 
        growth of weeds and algae, and that such growth can have 
        adverse environmental, health, and aesthetic effects;
            (2) household detergents contribute to phosphorus loading, 
        and limits on detergents containing phosphorus can 
        significantly reduce the discharge of phosphorus into the 
        surface and ground waters;
            (3) household detergents containing no or very low 
        phosphorus are readily available, and over 30 percent of the 
        United States population lives in areas with a ban on 
        detergents containing phosphorus;
            (4) phosphorus limits on household detergents can 
        significantly reduce treatment costs at those sewage treatment 
        facilities that remove phosphorus from the waste stream;
            (5) while significant reductions of phosphorus from laundry 
        detergent have been accomplished without Federal regulation, 
        similar progress in reducing phosphorus contributions from 
        dishwashing detergents has not been achieved; and
            (6) detergents containing no or very low phosphorus are not 
        readily available for commercial and industrial use, and this 
        Act is not intended to affect the sale or distribution of such 
        items.

SEC. 2. PHOSPHORUS IN DISHWASHING DETERGENT.

    (a) Regulation as a Banned Hazardous Substance.--Not later than 270 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Consumer Product 
Safety Commission, pursuant to section 3 of the Federal Hazardous 
Substances Act (15 U.S.C. 1262), shall issue regulations declaring 
dishwashing detergent intended for individual household use that 
contains phosphorus to be a banned hazardous substance under such Act.
    (b) Definition.--As used in this Act and for purposes of the 
regulations required under subsection (a), the term ``dishwashing 
detergent intended for individual household use'' means any soap or 
detergent marketed for the purpose of washing dishes and intended for 
use in individual households.
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