Sir, - In the context of an article about the ruination of this island's waterways (The Irish Times, July 6th) a spokesman for the Irish Detergent and Allied Products Association is on record as saying that phosphate is a valuable nutrient. This organisation represents the people whose commercial activities result in about a kilo-tonne per annum per county of phosphate-rich detergent material arriving on this island. Given the fact that our lakes and rivers have all deteriorated, many to the point of being officially recognised as a health hazard (see recent EPA report), is it too much to expect that these companies should at least clearly label their eco-friendly vis-a-vis their ecotoxic products? The Department of the Environment has a policy on this issue and the Consumers' Association of Ireland has some suggestions, yet this trade body persists in the "valuable nutrient" view of phosphate while our Irish drinking water is further contaminated.
It is sad to see us fail as a generation to make the right choice between good, eco-friendly detergents and bad ecotoxic detergents, when choosing the ecotoxic option will significantly contribute to the destruction of the quality of our lives and of our children's lives. It is at best inaccurate and/or disingenuous to claim that ecotoxic detergents contain a valuable nutrient. And it is unnecessarily evasive to do so when the same companies actually produce eco-friendly equivalents which are of the same cost on a "wash for wash" basis.Now is the time to be acting together for our future, not sabotaging our lakes, rivers and drinking water. We should not be defending this indefensible and unnecessary trade in ecotoxic materials for profit here in Ireland. - Your, etc.,
Michael Malone, Kilkeeran, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo.