From a reader:
With regard to the phosphates in dishwashing detergents, you can actually buy many of the same phosphates in granular form in the paint section of Lowe’s or Home Depot. The powdered phosphates look exactly like the old dishwashing powder. Anyhow, for about three months now we have been mixing these phosphates with the liquid dishwashing detergent from Costco and we have been very satisfied with the results. We run the dishwashwer the same as we did before and the dishes come out clean and spot free just like before.