Colgate-Palmolive has long been in fierce competition with Procter & Gamble, the world's largest soap and detergent maker.

That is because detergent makers favoring the change control more than 80 percent of the market.

For now, detergent makers are offering low prices, discount coupons and free samples to get shoppers to try superconcentrates.

If all detergent makers convert to superconcentrates, Kroger estimates, it would need only 78 feet for dry detergents.

The ban became a movement, changing wash day across the nation as detergent makers reformulated their products.

The restrictions were lifted in 1981, after it became clear that Suffolk residents were simply using Nassau imports and after detergent makers reformulated their products.

"Indeed, detergent-less means less burden to the environment," acknowledged Mr. Kanda of the detergent makers.

We've sold sodium perborate to detergent makers for a decade.

By then detergent makers had reformulated their products to foam less.

One method is continuous innovation, a favorite of dishwashing detergent makers.