Why we changed to dishwasher powder from tablets

We've changed from dishwasher tablets to dishwasher powder and want to fill you in as to why!

We used to stock Ecoleaf dishwasher tablets which we thought ticked all the plastic free boxes but now we are not so sure. Before stocking them we checked with our supplier about the water soluble outer, known as PVA (polyvinyl acetate or polyvinyl alcohol). At the time of our initial research we were a little nervous given the very plastic sounding name but were reassured that PVA dissolves into an aqueous solution of PVA first in water and then with the right microbes it breaks down to just water and CO2. Our supplier confirmed this and that this process occurs either aerobically or anaerobically depending on the treatment process conditions, either within a septic tank or water treatment plant. We were happy with this at the time but have since come across some articles that made us think twice about PVA.

As the name suggests, PVA is a plastic and it seems that the sticking point comes with the uncertainty over how quickly it actually dissolves from PVA into water and CO2. The details are all a little fuzzy with no firm or clear answers. Scientists from Newcastle University conducted a comprehensive study exploring the ingestion of microplastics in deep sea trenches and found polyvinyl acetate within the samples they collected, which means that PVA is reaching our oceans and is not always breaking down within the treatment plants. 

This gave us some cause for concern and we felt that it was best to be cautious and see if we could find an alternative. One of our existing suppliers, SESI Refill offered a dishwasher powder that is vegan, cruelty free and made in the UK plus its delivered in a refillable plastic tub, so we thought we'd make the change! If you'd like to give the new Sesi powder a try let us know and we can add a free sample to your next order. 

You can read more about SESI dishwasher powder. If you are worried about where to get your rinse aid, why not look into making your own, with cardboard packed citric acid and either water or vinegar. 

There has also recently been an update in that New York City is considering limiting the types of laundry and dishwashing detergents available. The bill would make it illegal to sell or distribute detergent pods or laundry sheets that contain polyvinyl alcohol, also known as PVA or PVOH. If approved, the bill would take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Ethical Consumer further confirmed our concerns in their Jul/Aug 2024 issue where they write in their detergents guide “There is some disagreement over whether polyvinyl alcohol (also known as PVA and PVOH) is really biodegradable and the extent to which it is harmful. But the Beat the Microbead campaign includes PVA in its red list of ingredients found to contain synthetic polymers which are commonly considered to be microplastic ingredients. The NGO, the Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS), is campaigning against the use of biodegradable plastics, stating that they “can present similar hazards in the natural environment to plastics, and the testing methods for biodegradable plastics do not yet reflect realistic use or existing environmental conditions.” Ruta Almedom, Head of Science at CodeCheck, told us “PVA can’t be considered readily biodegradable. The method often used by companies to claim biodegradability only works under specific circumstances, which do not reflect environmental reality. The often used Zahn-Wellens test (OECD302) shows if a substance is ‘inherently biodegradable’- meaning it is not persistent. However, this does not prove that this substance is also readily biodegradable in the aquatic environment.” We therefore deducted points from companies that were using PVA.” 

Reading this made it clear that our choice to stop stocking products with PVA was the right choice. It’s really frustrating as a lot of these products are currently marketed as plastic free which is really confusing and very misleading for consumers. 

 
Articles from etee, Plastic Oceans, Pub Med, Royal Society Publishing and Bloomberg.

If you have an Ethical Consumer subscription you can see their checklist here. 

If there are any PVA experts out there reading this and can help with our concerns please do get in touch!