We all have preferred approaches to washing pots and pans, tableware and utensils. However, our methods may waste resources and pollute the environment. Are there more sustainable but still effective options?

Dish soaps and dishwashing detergents can have a pleasant smell and hardly seem threatening, but conventional brands can harm the environment in various ways. Though qualitatively different, such soaps and detergents share many of the same chemicals and often contain microplastics as well as petroleum. These ingredients flow straight from our plumbing into the environment.

If pre-mixed with water, these products become even less eco-friendly. Trucks almost certainly running on fossil fuels must transport the added weight and volume. Producing the plastic bottles in which these liquids are typically sold only enlarges their carbon footprint, and when disposed of, the containers may end up in landfills rather than the recycling system. Although dishwashing pods reduce shipping weight, mainstream brands are often packaged in plastic and employ a detergent no more eco-friendly than powders and liquids. Moreover, individual pods are typically encased in petroleum-based polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) — which might dissolve in water but does not disappear from the ecosystem.

Fortunately, one can expect eco-friendly dish soaps and detergents to do their jobs well these days. In addition to including helpful information, the webpage theroundup.org/natural-eco-friendly-dish-soaps/ reviews various liquid soaps and detergents. Unfortunately, many are not only pre-mixed with water but also packaged in plastic. So, if washing by hand, try solid or powder dish soap, or else fill your own empty containers with eco-friendly liquid soap at a local refill store (Brunswick has one). If using a dishwasher, see The Reduce Report at tinyurl.com/2s48xrj8 for reviews of many eco-friendly powders and tablets. Last, if you are willing and able, find simple internet recipes for homemade dish soap and detergent made with ingredients like castile soap, citric acid and moderate amounts of washing soda (sodium carbonate) — but avoid borax.

Choosing the right cleaning agent is just one aspect of sustainable dishwashing. In future columns, we will consider whether to wash by hand or in a machine, as well as cleaning aids such as sponges and brushes.

David Conwell is a former history teacher who belongs to Brunswick’s Sustainability Committee and the nationwide advocacy organization Citizens Climate Lobby.