Madison, Wisc.-Industry representatives say efforts by two Wisconsin state legislators to ban lawn fertilizer with phosphorus statewide amount to the same old story of promoting legislation based on bad science and emotions. Rep. Spencer Black, who heads the Assembly’s natural resources committee, and Sen. Mark Miller, chairman of the Senate committee on the environment, have introduced a measure to prohibit lawn fertilizer containing phosphorous, which they claim is fouling up lakes by causing algae to grow out of control. The sponsors claim the ban would be the first step of “an ambitious environmental agenda” for the new legislative session, which has a newly elected Democratic majority in the Assembly. Currently only Door and Dane counties have such restrictions, and fertilizer for agricultural production would be exempt. Brian Swingle, the executive director of the Wisconsin Green Industry Federation, which represents professional fertilizer users such as landscapers, said the group opposes the bill as it has done before. He said such legislation also would prohibit retailers from displaying fertilizer with phosphorus, making it difficult for first-time lawn growers to find. Bill Vogel, CEO of Spring Valley at Jackson and a leading figure in the lawn-care industry, told Green Markets that the industry fought this two years ago and “we’re back with it again and we’re going to fight, because if they take phosphorous away then they may target nitrogen, potash and other nutrients.” Vogel added, “But it’s still a concern for the industry because these decisions are based on bad science and emotions, because the phosphorous in the fertilizer is not creating the problem, especially what is being used on lawns, as the lawmakers believe.” Presently, Vogel noted, a lot of landscapers are using zero phos because the price is so high and it’s interesting that now they’re trying to legislate it.
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