Mother Earth has been testing Ecoball, which is a sphere containing solid washing-pellets. Ecoball is used in place of washing powder. A number of advantages over traditional washing powders are claimed by the makers of Ecoball; the four principal claims which interest us are that Ecoball :

Saves Water and Electricity -- this is because Ecoball doesn't use detergents, so a second rinse cycle is not required.

Is environmentally friendly - because it does not contain harsh detergent or chemicals which are difficult to dissolve in water and pollute our rivers and oceans.

Is kind to skin -- it is free from harsh chemicals which cause irritation. Action Against Allergy have endorsed Ecoball as a safe alternative for people who are sensitive to washing detergents.

Is not tested on animals.

We were sent three Ecoballs which we have been using for regular washes since 20 June 97. At first, we wondered if they would work, and have so far been pleasantly surprised to find that our balls are working well. We detected no difference in cleaning quality between them and regular washing powder.
Eco-Balls are simply placed on top of the laundry, and do not have to be removed during the rinse cycle. The makers of Eco-Ball claim that at a rate of five washes per week Eco-Ball will last almost three years. This would work out at about 3p per wash. We will report back on how many times our test samples are used and when they run out.... hopefully in three years!

A set of Eco-Balls may be obtained from :

Eco-Ball
C-Matol
Airport House
Purley Way
Croydon
London  CRO OXZ

Cheques should be made payable to Eco-Ball.