Albany, N.Y.-State officials, including Gov. David Paterson, are proposing legislation to ban phosphorus in dishwashing detergents and sharply restrict it in lawn fertilizer to improve the quality of New York lakes and rivers. New York Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis said he expects lawmakers to take up the bill after the budget is resolved. The law would prohibit the application of fertilizer containing more than two-thirds of 1 percent phosphorus on lawns, except for use on newly planted lawns and on grass that testing had shown to be deficient in phosphorus. “That means if the fertilizer contained more than a trace it doesn’t meet the requirement,” said Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman Yancey Roy. Retailers would be allowed to sell fertilizer containing phosphorus, but it would have to be separated from other fertilizers that were phosphorus-free. Stores also would have to post signs warning that phosphorus harms water quality and laying out the conditions for its lawful use. Grannis said there would be no enforcement of the law as it pertained to consumers, and retailers would not be required to quiz fertilizer buyers about their purchase. Instead, it is hoped that consumers will make an educated decision to avoid phosphorus-laden fertilizers. “The marketplace will make the decision. Stores will not stock products that are not high-sale products,” Grannis said. “They can have a great looking lawn and they don’t need to use the phosphorus fertilizer.”
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain