Health Risks of Fertilizers

Fertilizers are soil enhancements applied to the soil to promote plant growth. Some of the main components in fertilizers are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These added components, as well as other added heavy metals and chemicals in fertilizers, are responsible for many adverse health effects.

Heavy Metals

• A wide variety of unsafe metals exist in fertilizers including: arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, uranium, boron, cadmium, iron, copper, aluminum and zinc.

Human Health Hazards

• According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these metals are known to be toxic to humans contributing to cancer, developmental effects, birth defects, reproductive problems, and liver and kidney damage. Children are even more susceptible to the toxic effects of fertilizers. They spend more time on the ground and tend to put their hands in their mouth without washing them.

Commercial Fertilizers

• Some commercial fertilizers are made from recycled hazardous waste materials including highly toxic metals and chemicals produced for public use. These metals are suspected carcinogens and blood toxicants.

Environmental Concerns

• Fertilizers can contaminate waterways.

  Heavy metals are a common cause of waterway pollution. High applications of nitrogen-based fertilizers, in order to boost crop yield, can lead to run-offs into surface and groundwater contaminating our water supply. Nitrogen has also been linked to the blue baby syndrome.

Trace Minerals

• Non-organic fertilizers don't replace vital trace minerals in the soil causing it to become slowly depleted of key minerals. The soil depletion decreases the quantities of minerals present in food.