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EPA Regulates Recycling of Fertilizers Containing Zinc
Release Date: 7/24/2002
Contact Information: Dave Ryan
ryan.dave@epamail.epa.gov
(2026) 554-7827
EPA has announced a final rule for zinc micronutrient fertilizers made from recycled hazardous wastes. A micronutrient is an element essential to the growth of plants in very small amounts.
In 1997, EPA launched a major effort to assess how hazardous wastes are used by the fertilizer industry, what types of contaminants are generally found in fertilizer products and the potential risks associated with exposure to contaminants in a wide variety of fertilizers. EPA's study concluded that:
- fertilizers are generally safe;
- by volume, fertilizers made from recycled hazardous waste account for less than one-half of one percent of the total fertilizer market in the United States; and
- nearly all fertilizers made from hazardous waste ingredients are zinc micronutrient fertilizers, which farmers have routinely blended in small amounts with other fertilizers to grow crops such as corn, rice, potatoes and fruit trees.
Today's new regulation is designed to strengthen and streamline the federal regulatory system that governs this recycling practice. The rule will reduce pollution by ensuring that all zinc fertilizers made from hazardous wastes and secondary materials are clean, high quality fertilizers. It also encourages recycling and recovery of valuable zinc resources from materials that might otherwise be disposed of in landfills. In addition, this action is designed to make industry more accountable for its recycling activities and should result in lower prices for farmers who buy quality zinc fertilizers. The rule will appear in the Federal Register.
For more information, see EPA's web site at: https://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/recycle/fertiliz/index.htm.
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