Manitoba will become the first province in Canada to restrict application of lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus in residential areas.
The government says it is a key step in reducing the flow of excess nutrients into provincial waterways.
The move comes a few weeks after legislation was introduced to phase out phosphorus in automatic dishwasher soap.
The province will restrict the use of lawn fertilizer containing more than one percent phosphorus by Jan. 1, 2009. The use of phosphorus on golf courses will also be limited under water quality management zone regulations. Lawn fertilizers now sold in Manitoba have phosphorus content as high as 20 percent.
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Manitoba’s regulatory change to control fertilizer application is modelled on a similar regulatory regime adopted by Minnesota in 2005. Minnesota’s controls resulted in a nearly 50 percent reduction in phosphorus applied in fertilizers to lawns in residential areas.
The government said that because Manitoba soil already has high phosphorus concentrations, fertilizer containing phosphorus is in most instances unnecessary to maintain a healthy lawn.
Applications of fertilizer containing phosphorus would be permitted on a short-term basis for new lawns.
Water stewardship minister Christine Melnick said in a News release
news that the province has initiated discussions with Landscape Manitoba and the Canadian Fertilizer Institute about steps industry can take to ensure consumers will continue to have access to a range of lawn care products in Manitoba stores.
The phosphorus restrictions follow key recommendations of the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board’s final report.
