Washington-The USDA has alerted The Fertilizer Institute and the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) about incidents involving Chinese companies selling cadmium-contaminated zinc fertilizers and feeds. These have a cadmium:zinc ratio up to 0.5 percent, which is nearly as much cadmium as zinc in the product as shipped. TFI has sent a memo to its members warning about this development, and said such extreme contamination strongly suggests that these companies are dumping their hazardous cadmium wastes into product rather than disposing of them properly. TFI said this high rate of contamination means that if normal zinc rates are applied, the cadmium is enough to cause crops to contain excessive cadmium and the soil to require remediation. High cadmium content in produce can lead to kidney and liver problems in particular. TFI said it is urging companies purchasing fertilizers to specify contractually that the product not only meets nutrient specifications, but also the appropriate regulatory or AAPFCO standards for metals. USDA said it has so far found evidence of Chinese cadmium contamination in France, Belgium, Norway, Australia, Kenya, and South Africa. So far, this rash of contamination has not been found in the U.S.; however, industry sources are fearful that may happen as the U.S. imports zinc products from China. TFI noted that in 2006, the most recent year with available statistics, the U.S. imported 44,443 mt of zinc sulfate. Of that, some 24,028 mt came from China. Industry sources fear that due to the economic crisis even more may come to the U.S. in 2008. Sources put the U.S. zinc sulfate market at about 120,000 st, with the product going heavily to corn and rice.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain