Fact Pack

Phosphorus is a nutrient essential to both plant and animal life. Aquatic plants, by a magnitude of thousands, require less phosphorus than terrestrial plants to grow. Excess amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen cause rapid growth of phytoplankton, or algae, creating dense populations, or blooms. These blooms become so dense that they reduce the amount of sunlight available to submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). Without sufficient light, plants cannot photosynthesize and produce the food they need to survive. The loss of sunlight can kill aquatic grasses. Algae may also grow directly on the surface of SAV. Unconsumed algae will ultimately sink and be decomposed by bacteria in a process that depletes bottom waters of oxygen. Like humans, most aquatic species require oxygen. When oxygen in deep water is depleted, fish and other species will die unless they move to other areas of suitable habitat. To summarize, phosphorus pollution accelerates a process called eutrophication, which is essentially the process of a lake’s biological death due to depleted bioavailable oxygen.

Negative Impacts of Phosphorus Pollution

• Phosphorus is the nutrient that “limits” (is most essential to) aquatic plant growth. This means that, if aquatic plants, such as algae, have excess phosphorus to adsorb, they can grow out of control.
• One pound of phosphorus can result in the growth 350-700 lbs. of green algae.
• Algal blooms and excessive submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) growth can lead to the biological death, or eutrophication, of a body of fresh water.
• Blooms of blue-green algae produce neurotoxins (affecting the nervous system) and hepatoxins (affecting the liver), and can cause a serious public health problem as well as damage aquatic habitats.
• On the economic side, excessive SAV and algal growth due to phosphorus pollution increases water treatment costs, degrades fishing and boating activities, and impacts tourism and property values.(1)
• Phosphorus pollution needs to be remediated 70-90% before a lake can recover from eutrophication.(2)

The Lawn Fertilizer Myth

• Regular applications of lawn fertilizer are NOT needed to keep grass healthy, in most cases, and adding excess fertilizer can burn (remove water from) the grass.
• A simple soil test will indicate whether or not your lawn needs fertilizer.
• Healthy turfgrass leaf tissue has a phosphorus concentration of about 0.3%.
• Lawn clippings contain about 0.13 pounds phosphorus per 1000 square feet during growing season, which makes them excellent natural fertilizer.(3)

Advances in Automatic Dishwashing Detergent Formulation

• Most automatic dishwasher detergents have 6%-8% phosphorus content by weight. This is about the same as the phosphorus content in Miracle-Gro, a common houseplant fertilizer.
• Advances in detergent formulation since the 1970s have allowed responsible manufacturers to create high performance automatic dishwashing detergents (ADDs) that work without using phosphates in their formulas.
• Many companies are producing commercial, phosphate-free ADDs, including Seventh Generation, President’s Choice, Bi-O-Kleen, Shaklee, Ecover, Country Save, Enviro-Links, and Ecos.
• In an independent study conducted by Shuster Laboratories in Canton, Massachusetts, automatic dishwasher powder and automatic dishwasher gel produced by Seventh Generation are as effective as Cascade (the brand Seventh Generation tests against) in terms of stain removal, spotting, and filming.(4)