The days of using regular detergent may be over in Galway following the decision by Galway City Council to put forward a ban on many household cleaners containing phosphates.

Cllr Michael Crowe put a motion forward at Monday's city council meeting requesting the Minister for the Environment to introduce a ban on all detergents containing phosphates, as a result of the apparent damage it is doing to fish, plant life and Lough Corrib in general.

Galway City Council heard that the move would not have a huge impact on Galway residents. Affordable, non-phosphate detergents are available in the city. The motion received huge support from all councillors attending the meeting and was unanimously passed.

The meeting also heard that the decision to ban phosphate detergents would have a sizeable effect on Galway's waterways as this discharge can be extremely harmful to plant and fish life, by promoting the growth of algae bloom. It was also suggested that phosphate discharge could have contributed to the city's cryptosporidium outbreak earlier this year, as it can negate the actions of septic tanks.

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