Spokane residents smuggle suds over green brands

Associated Press ^ | 03/27/2009 | Nicholas K. Geranios

[Redcitizen]

SPOKANE, Wash. – The quest for squeaky-clean dishes has turned some law-abiding people in Spokane into dishwater-detergent smugglers. They are bringing Cascade or Electrasol in from out of state because the eco-friendly varieties required under Washington state law don't work as well. Spokane County became the launch pad last July for the nation's strictest ban on dishwasher detergent made with phosphates, a measure aimed at reducing water pollution. The ban will be expanded statewide in July 2010, the same time similar laws take effect in several other states.

But it's not easy to get sparkling dishes when you go green.

[Redcitizen]

This law is all washed up. See what happens when other people get on the soapbox to demand "green" products.

[MuttTheHoople]

If Cascade is outlawed, only outlaws will have Cascade.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

I can see it now, suds task forces, pulling over middle aged, Birkenstock clad women, to search their Volvos for contraband dish washing suds.

Don’t make the grime, if you can’t do the time...

Soon, enterprising criminals will be cooking up batches of Jet Dry...

[bill1952]

Liberals don’t like soap - Go figure...

[PAR35]

This will help get the blackmarket get organized.

[classified]

wait to you get the smuggling of incadescent light bulbs vs. those toxic waste curly bulbs!

[HoosierHawk]

The Washington Lake Protection Association has launched a campaign to encourage people to give the environmentally friendly brands a fair chance. The group suggests consumers experiment with different brands or install water softeners to help the green detergents work better.

IOW, these are the choices we've given you. Now deal with it and stop your buying your products from elsewhere.

[Redcitizen]

Supporters of this law never imagined the “cascade” of unrest created by this law.

[elkfersupper]

I used to joke that lawmakers would one day dictate what sort of soap we could use to wash our armpits and what sort of material we could use to wipe our a$$.

Apparently, it is no longer a joke, it is THE LAW.

[Redcitizen]

And you can tell soap users by their clean pots and pans. Lye and fat will be banned as soap making paraphanalia.

[meowmeow]

Cool - I can stock up on Costco sized boxes of Cascade and start my own black market!

[Redcitizen]

Thats sad when things come to this. Its nearly one more step to having us become the great unwashed masses.

[randog]

Reminds me of the Coors ban in Oregon. My mother’s family (from Oregon) would always load up on Coors when they visited us in Nevada. Cases of the stuff in the trunk of the car.

[Redcitizen]

Psst hey buddy; wanna buy a bar of Dial? I got ivory soap by the kilo? How do I know your legit? Or are you wearing a soap on a rope?

[elkfersupper]

Thats sad when things come to this. Its nearly one more step to having us become the great unwashed masses.

Become?

[Redcitizen]

Are we already?

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Been stockpiling for the last 9 months. Each trip to wal-mart, I pick up another 4-pack of incandencents. My wife thinks I’m a lunatic.

[JSDude1]

The Eco-sizaN at work again; I’d like somone just once to post this Sh** over at DU (Kos), Huff-Po and ask them if the really support this? (Big-gov statism)..!

[Veto!]

More like a white market, I think.

I’m flying into Spokane in June, spending a month there and in North Idaho and now I know how to pay for my vacation. But wait, Homeland Security will surely detain me if they find Cascade in my suitcases.

[ViLaLuz]

I can’t believe the citizens there would allow such a ridiculous law!