Reduce Phosphates Pollution from Fertilizers!!
Easy Steps to Reduce Phosphates and Other Harmful Nutrients Pollution from Lawn Fertilizers:
Large amount of phosphates are harmful to the environment, especially in bodies of water, such as the Chesapeake Bay. An increase of phosphates in water causes an overgrowth of aquatic algae, which eventually creates dead zones in the Bay. Dead zones cannot support aquatic life. There is an unhealthy amount of phosphates in common household lawn and garden fertilizers and every homeowner can follow a few basic rules of good lawn care to ensure less phosphates and other harmful nutrients reach the Bay.
Phosphorus is important in fertilizers because it is a plant nutrient, and necessary for plant growth and health. Most organic fertilizers also contain phosphorus. The real problem is what people do AFTER the fertilizer is on their lawn. When people put down fertilizer on their lawn and then mow their lawn and leave the grass clippings on their driveway, sidewalk or street, they are setting up the phosphates pollution problem. During the next rainstorm, all the grass clippings and leaves that are on the street, driveway and sidewalk will get washed down a storm drain and eventually end up in the Chesapeake Bay. As the grass clippings decay, the phosphates and other harmful nutrients in the grass and leaves are released into the Bay and cause an overgrowth of algae.
The nutrients in yard waste are the least expensive and most effective fertilizers for your lawn so save money and time and reduce pollution of the Bay by leaving your grass clippings on your lawn or using the clippings as mulch around trees and plants. Grass is approximately 90% water so grass decomposes quickly. Every year Fairfax County recycles over 100,000 tons of yard waste.
To reduce the amount of phosphates and other harmful nutrients in lawn fertilizers from ending up in the Chesapeake Bay, it is extremely important for citizens of Virginia to:
- Leave grass clippings on your lawn as fertilizer OR collect the grass clippings and compost them to use as future fertilizer
- Make sure to remove all grass clippings from driveway, sidewalk and street by either sweeping up the clippings and putting them on your lawn, adding the grass clippings to your compost pile or putting them in a place to dry (not on the driveway, sidewalk or street) and use them as mulch
- Rake up all the leaves in your yard and solid surfaces and either add leaves to compost pile or put them in a place to dry and use them as mulch
- If you prefer not to leave grass clippings on your lawn and prefer not to compost yard waste, make sure yard waste is in separate bags (reusable container and brown paper yard waste bags are preferred; never use dark plastic bags, which are often mistaken as trash bags) and clearly marked as yard waste for your disposal company to pick up or donate your yard waste to local nurseries, landscapers and farmers.
For further information about yard waste recycling, please check out:
Fairfax County Yard Waste Recycling:
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/recycling/yardwaste.htm
“Greenscaping” Your Lawn
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/green/pubs/home-gs.pdf