Grass Fertilizer Pollution
- Lawn fertilizers provide nutrients -- usually nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium -- that support healthy, green growth of your grass. Unfortunately, nitrogen and phosphorus also act as pollutants when runoff or leaching forces them into waterways.
- Fertilizers feed plants, including harmful algae.red algae image by antoine perroud from Fotolia.com
When nitrogen and phosphorus enter a river or pond, they feed the algae growing there. As overabundant algae die off, they rob the water of oxygen, making it inhabitable for aquatic plants and animals. For example, nutrient pollution causes a dead zone at the mouth of the Mississippi each spring that covers roughly the area of New Jersey. Nitrates from nitrogen fertilizer also leach into drinking water sources and can cause severe health problems in young children. - Read and follow the prescribed application rates on fertilizer labels. Using more fertilizer than indicated will not make your lawn more lush and green.
