Laundry detergent pod Laundry detergent pod Laundry detergent pods (or packs) are water-soluble pouches containing highly concentrated laundry detergent, softener and other laundry products. Notable brands of these packs include Arm & Hammer, Purex, Persil and Tide. They first became popular in February 2012 when they were introduced by Procter & Gamble as Tide Pods. The chemistry of laundry detergent packs is the same as in liquid detergents (including alkylbenzenesulfonates). The dissolvable packets is typically made of polyvinylalcohol (PVA) or a derivative of PVA. Although the formulas are similar, a detergent pack's liquids may contain 10% water compared to 50% in liquid detergents.
Phosphates in detergent algal blooms have still continued to worsen for other reasons. Most dishwasher detergent contains complex phosphates, as they have several properties that aid in effective cleaning. However, the same chemicals have been removed from laundry detergents in many countries as a result of concerns raised about the increase in algal blooms in waterways caused by increasing phosphate levels (see eutrophication). Phosphorus that runs into freshwater lakes and rivers can cause algal blooms. Phosphate-free detergent reduces the amount of phosphate wastewater treatment plants must clean up. From the 1960s-2010s the standard way to determine the amount of phosphate in water is