Fertilizer & Pesticide Awareness

Many water bodies in and around Long Island, including the Long Island Sound, have water quality problems. Even the relatively pristine Peconic Estuary between the east end's north and south forks is showing the stresses of pollution. Fertilizers and pesticides can contribute to those problems. When homeowners over-apply or incorrectly apply fertilizers and pesticides, the rain washes them into groundwater, streams, lakes, the Sound, and the bays. Too much fertilizer in water can negatively impact the food web and cause nuisance algae to grow. The algae use up the oxygen that fish need to survive. Pesticides in water can directly harm fish and aquatic plants.

EPA Region 2 Director of Environmental Planning and Protection Walter Mugdan, the Nature Conservancy, and Mineola Mayor Jack Martins unveiled the new fertilizer and pesticide awareness posters at a ceremony in Mineola in late August. The posters will appear in all Long Island Railroad trains in September.

The key message in EPA's fertilizer and pesticide awareness campaign is to limit homeowner use of chemical lawn care products and, when they are used to ensure they are applied properly and effectively with minimum impact on the environment.