State officials want to almost completely ban phosphorus in dishwashing detergents and restrict the mineral nutrient in lawn fertilizer to improve quality in stressed New York lakes and rivers. Phosphorus has been singled out for promoting algae and bacteria blooms in water bodies nationwide and a growing number of states or counties have been enacting restrictions.
In New York, Gov. David Paterson submitted a bill to the state Legislature recently that would bar the sale of automatic dishwashing soap containing more than a minimal amount of phosphorus. A similar ban was placed on the sale of phosphate-rich laundry soap three decades ago, a move credited with greatly improving water quality at the time.
The proposal, yet to be taken up by state lawmakers, also would discourage the sale of lawn fertilizer containing more than a trace amount of phosphorus.
The bill's part of an effort started a long time ago to reduce the loading of phosphates into our waters. They're very destructive of water quality, very big factors in algae growth," state Environmental Commissioner Pete Grannis said. Grannis said he expected lawmakers to take up the bill after the budget is resolved. If it passes, the new law would be effective Jan. 1, 2010.
State officials want to almost completely ban phosphorus in dishwashing detergents and restrict the mineral nutrient in lawn fertilizer to improve quality in stressed New York lakes and rivers. Phosphorus has been singled out for promoting algae and bacteria blooms in water bodies nationwide and a growing number of states or counties have been enacting restrictions.
Phosphorus has been singled out for promoting algae and bacteria blooms in water bodies nationwide and a growing number of states or counties have been enacting restrictions. In New York, Gov. David Paterson submitted a bill to the state Legislature late this week that would bar the sale of automatic dishwashing soap containing more than a minimal amount of phosphorus. A similar ban was placed on the sale of phosphate-rich laundry soap three decades ago, a move credited with greatly improving water quality at the time.
The proposal, yet to be taken up by state lawmakers, also would discourage the sale of lawn fertilizer containing more than a trace amount of phosphorus. The law would prohibit the application of fertilizer containing more than two-thirds of 1 percent phosphorus on lawns, with two exceptions. It could be used on grass that testing had shown to be deficient in phosphorus and it could be applied to newly planted lawns.
Phosphorus promotes root growth. But Tierney, Lewandowski and others said most soils in this region have adequate naturally occurring phosphorus and there is no need to add more each spring. "The proportions have been off," Lewandowski said. "It's sad that we have to legislate the proportions of nutrients in fertilizers, but we do."
Labels on chemical lawn products tend to change, according to Dr. J. Routt Reigart, a pediatrician who has helped to edit a book for the Environmental Protection Agency called "Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings."
"If you'd asked me two years ago if it was safe to use Dursban" -- the nation's most widely used home pesticide -- "as per directions on the label, I would have said no," said Reigart, who teaches at the Medical University of South Carolina. "Then the government said it agreed and banned it for many of its recommended uses."
"There are concerns with many of the chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides," he said. "You should use the chemicals as little as possible -- and in many cases that means never at all."
Consider using phosphate-free fertilizer
Organic fertilizer offers several advantages over the more popular synthetic fertilizers, better known as “chemical” fertilizers. What’s especially beneficial is that organic lawn fertilizer materials break down at rates that correlate with the times when lawns need them most. When the soil warms in spring and rain increases, organic fertilizer breaks down faster. That’s also when grass growth increases and fertilizer needs go up. But when the rains shut off in summer and soil microbe activity slows in heat and drought, grass growth slows and nutrition demands go down. Those same conditions in turn slow the breakdown of organic fertilizers.
Apply the product correctly
Fill granular fertilizer spreaders on a hard surface where any spills can be easily cleaned up. NEVER wash off fertilizer spills into the street or other hard-surface areas where they can easily enter storm sewers and ultimately surface water areas. Wash off granular fertilizer spreaders over turfed areas to prevent runoff of fertilizer from hard surfaces. Fill and clean liquid fertilizer applicators over turfed areas for similar reasons.
Close the gate on the fertilizer spreader when crossing hard-surface areas or go back and sweep up the material. Reuse it another time or put it back into the spreader.
Try to use a drop spreader, which is slower but more precise than a rotary type spreader near surface water. Next to shoreline areas, apply fertilizer around the perimeter of the property with a drop spreader to create a safety zone. The rest of the area farther away from the shoreline can be fertilized with a rotary spreader. Since the perimeter has already been done with the drop spreader, it is not necessary to hug the shore because fertilizer may get into the water. The same kinds of precautions should be taken when using liquid fertilizer.
Avoid getting fertilizer into natural drainage areas or pathways on a property. These areas may not necessarily be hard-surface areas, but they can carry fertilizer directly into the surface water before having the chance to infiltrate into the surrounding turf/soil area.
Leave grass clippings on the lawn area to decompose and recycle nutrients back to the turf area. They should not be blown or raked into street gutters or onto sidewalks and driveways where they may be carried with runoff water to surface water. Nutrients released in water through decomposition may cause undesirable algae and vegetative growth.
NEVER apply nitrogen fertilizers to water resources directly or to frozen ground.
Use a mulching blade on your lawn mower, this way you never have to rake and bag again! If you have a large amount of trees in your yard you can spread the leaves out with a rake and then mow over them. This puts rich nutrients back into the ground and eleminates throwing bags of leaves into the landfills.