Phosphate is used in the manufacture of a variety of products, including toothpaste, soft drinks, and dishwashing and laundry detergents. Over 95 percent of the phosphate produced in the United States, however, is used in the manufacture of fertilizers and animal feed supplements. This section provides information on phosphate mining in Idaho, the phosphate-leasing process, the mine plan approval process, the Clean Water Act permitting process, and the CERCLA assessment and remediation process.