NJDEP Takes Steps to Reduce Phosphorus in Waterways

NJDEP is taking significant steps toward improving the health of New Jersey's lakes, rivers and streams by reducing the impacts of phosphorus. 

During an Earth Week event at a West Windsor home-improvement center, Commissioner Jackson signed a memorandum of understanding with members of the lawn-care industry, who pledged to reduce the amount of phosphorus released by fertilizers in the Garden State by 50 percent by 2010. The industry will make fertilizers available to retail centers that have no phosphorus or reduced amounts of phosphorus. The industry will conduct public education programs on proper use of fertilizers and will label products accordingly. Commissioner Jackson also formally signed off on science-based standards that will greatly reduce phosphorus discharged as wastewater and stormwater in the Passaic River and Pompton Lake-Ramapo River watersheds, two heavily developed watersheds in northeastern New Jersey. In signing the memorandum of agreement, members of the Lawn Care Product Manufacturing Industry, including Lebanon Seaboard and United Industries, agreed to establish technical groups to work with the DEP and Rutgers University's Agricultural Experiment Station in developing a stewardship program to foster better public education and to review strategies to reduce the levels of phosphorus in fertilizers. http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2008/08_0026.htm