A plastic dish pod floating in a river

Ban It For The Planet

Detergent pods and sheets are plastic – and they’re polluting our water. Support the Pods are Plastic Bill to keep NYC waters clean.

The Planet Sees What We Can’t

Just because you can't see the plastic pollution, doesn't mean it's not there.

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The Pods are Plastic Bill

This bill would make it unlawful for any person or entity to sell, distribute, offer for sale, or possess for the purpose of sale within New York City, any laundry or dishwasher detergent pods and sheets that contain Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA).

The Problem

Each year, over 20 billion plastic laundry detergent pods and sheets are used and sent into our water systems. Polyvinyl Alcohol (also known as PVA or PVOH) is a single-use plastic film used to wrap all single-dose laundry and dishwasher detergent pods and while PVA does break down, it does not disappear. Instead, the plastic particles go down our drains and research estimates that ~75% of intact plastic particles from laundry pods are released into our oceans, rivers, and soil.

The Health Impact of PVA

Once PVA is released into the environment, it has the potential to absorb dangerous chemicals, contaminants, antibiotics, and heavy metals. PVA works its way back up our food chain and has recently been found in drinking water and human breast milk.

PVA FAQs

  • Polyvinyl Alcohol (known as PVA or PVOH) is synthetic, petroleum based, single-use plastic. You can find it in textiles to strengthen fabric, paper lining such as food wrap to be more resistant to grease and oils (which makes the paper un-recyclable or non-compostable), adhesives, paint thickener, and hair sprays just to name a few.

  • Yes, PVA is synthetic, petroleum based, single-use plastic.

  • PVA is not readily biodegradable and any claims stating otherwise are false. Conditions needed to completely degrade PVA are extremely specific and don’t exist in most U.S. wastewater treatment facilities.

  • Research shows that ~75% of intact plastic particles from laundry pods are released into our waterways. Like microplastics, this plastic film has the potential to absorb dangerous chemicals and contaminants, antibiotics, or heavy metals at high concentrations and then work their way up the food chain into human food and water sources.

  • Read your ingredients labels! If you see dishwasher, laundry and personal care products that contain polyvinyl alcohol (PVA or PVOH), avoid them and look for an alternative made without PVA. You can also support the Pods are Plastic Bill by contacting your representative above to express your support for the bill and encourage NYC council members to take action and work towards a plastic-free future.

  • Taking plastic pods off the market doesn’t result in any inconvenience to customers. There are also alternative single-dose formats for laundry and dishwasher detergent (such as liquid, powder, or tablets) that do not use PVA, are more affordable, and have been around for years.

  • Widespread industry greenwashing is when companies falsely state their products are environmentally friendly or choose to withhold information on their ingredients to gain customers through this deception. For example, laundry sheets look “eco” because they can be shipped in paper boxes, but none of the brands are disclosing that these sheets in themselves are plastic that will dissolve but not truly disappear.

Current Research on PVA

PVA’s health implications, where it’s been found, why it doesn’t always biodegrade and more.

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