Suburbs Cut Off Sale of Harmful Fertilizer Nutrient
Posted on: Sunday, 11 May 2008, 09:00 CDT
As green thumbs everywhere begin the annual task of tending to their lawns and gardens, they are being warned by two far north suburban communities to stay away from a nutrient common in fertilizer that harms lakes and waterways.
The village of Third Lake recently followed Antioch's lead, making them the first two Illinois communities to ban fertilizers containing phosphorus.
Local leaders acknowledge the effort is a small step in the global push to protect the environment, but they felt compelled to do what they could. Fertilizers containing phosphorus can be carried by storm water runoff into local lakes, leading to excessive growth of algae and weeds, which take oxygen out of the water and choke aquatic life, officials said.
"The impact of one person is virtually nothing, but the impact of all the homes--it will have a lasting [benefit for] the lakes," Antioch Mayor Dorothy Larson said.
A handful of local and state leaders across the country have pushed for stronger regulations regarding phosphorus. In Twin Lakes, Wis., officials banned fertilizer containing phosphorus in 2002. And in 2005, Minnesota prohibited such fertilizer except in areas where the soil lacks it.
"In recent years, there has been a growing awareness about the problem of nutrient pollution--too much phosphorus and nitrogen," said Ed Hopkins, director of the Sierra Club's environmental quality program. "I think we will begin to see more restrictions on the use of lawn fertilizers because the problem with nutrient pollution is growing worse."
Though experts understand the desire for a lush lawn, they say that phosphorus helps establish hardy grass roots but does not make grass greener; nitrogen does that. In addition, most soil in the area contains enough phosphorus to grow a healthy lawn, they say.
In some cases, fertilizer might not be necessary, experts say.
"It's not that fertilizing is bad, it's just that we've maybe gotten into doing it too much and too often," said Sharon Yiesla, a horticulturist with the University of Illinois Extension in Lake County. "If people could just be patient, it would be better to let their lawns go dormant in the heat of summer, knowing that they will come back when the weather cools off."
Antioch officials prohibited residents and commercial lawn-care companies from using fertilizers that contain phosphorus. The ban does not apply to land lacking in phosphorus or farming and agricultural businesses, which make up the majority of phosphorus use. The ordinance requires businesses that sell fertilizer to post signs notifying customers about the ban.
Third Lake officials adopted a similar ordinance in February.
"It's a little step, but it's an important step," said Village President Gary Beggan. "It will help control the algae, which can be a major problem."
Brett Kusero and Geri Michael, who moved to Antioch from Chicago to be closer to nature, were at the village's Wal-Mart last week to buy gardening supplies.
"We are all for [the ban] because we are naturalists," said Kusero, who has lived on East Loon Lake for five years. "We have a kayak and a canoe because we don't believe in polluting the lakes with gasoline. We have seen the frogs and the turtles diminish in the short time we have lived here."
Michael said she wished more communities would enact similar bans.
"We have got to think of our kids and the future generations," she said.
Chris Shkyria, a Lawn Doctor franchisee in Antioch, said he sampled the soil in the area and discovered the phosphorus levels already were high when he bought the business about six years ago. So he decided not to add phosphorus to the fertilizer mixes.
Though Shkyria said controlling erosion is the key to preventing water runoff, he says the ban will have an impact.
"It will lower the phosphorus levels," he said. "It will definitely make a difference."
Antioch and Third Lake are encouraging residents to buy eco-friendly fertilizers, which they say don't cost more than other fertilizers. A string of three numbers found on fertilizer bags should have a zero as its middle number, indicating that it does not contain phosphorus. Also, homeowners should request phosphorus-free fertilizers if they use a lawn care service to maintain their yards, officials said.
Twin Lakes officials say they have begun to notice results since their ban took effect six years ago.
"Each year we do weed killing on our lakes, the amount of invasive weeds is lower than we anticipate," said Village Administrator David Cox. "So there's anecdotal evidence that we may be doing some good."
Freelance reporter Ruth Fuller contributed to this report.
Source: Chicago Tribune
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