Use of phosphate-containing detergents results in the plunce of phosphorus in sewage.and the phosphorus contributes to high phos phorus levels in surface waters which can contribute to the eutrophication process In the late 1960s, the Great Lakes were heavily polluted, the United States and Cannd a looked for measures to clean them up The American action set the pattern for the world that was to ban detergent phosphates.From then on, a number of industrialized coun-tries, such as Japan, Western European countries, have reduced or banned phosphates in deter.gents.Up to now, there has been no convincing evidenee to support the view that the removal of ohosphates from detergents can result in the cbange in the eutrophication state of a body of water,To prevent eutrophication, more than 90% of the phosphorus from alI souses in wastewaters must be removed.But in most eases, the reduction which can be achieved by restricted or banned phosphates in detergents is approximately 20% of the total input phosphorus Therefore.only ad-vaneed wastewater treatment, such as biological phos phorus uptake and chemical precipitation and absorption of phosphorus by the addition of iron and aluminium compounds or lime, is the most generally applicable approach in preventing eutrophication Asummary of the historical background, effects and arguments on restricting or banning phosphates in detergents in industrialized countries are provided.It is expected that this study will cad to the basis for the regulations in China of water resource protection.