Environmental Consequences of Pesticide Use
Of
the 18 most commonly used lawn pesticides, 13 have been found in groundwater
or surface water in the Great Lakes Basin. In the past, pesticides such
as DDT were linked to disastrous environmental effects. Today's chemicals
have lower acute toxicity to wildlife; animals are less likely to suffer
from immediate poisoning. However, the long-range effects of pesticides
in our environment is cause for concern.
Pesticides on your lawn
Insecticides that wipe out one species of insects may give another type
of insect a chance to overpopulate, throwing your lawn out of balance. Non-selective
insecticides have harmful effects too: they kill beneficial insects as well
as the ones that can damage your grass. Soil without insects is soil prone
to compaction. And don't forget, the activities of many insects enrich the
soil.
Fertilizer runoff in our lakes
Every summer, Madison residents have a close-up view of the harmful effects
of lawn chemicals: lake weeds choke our beaches, fluster boaters and create
an eyesore. Fertilizer runoff is partly to blame for the proliferation of
lake weeds and algae. While agricultural runoff of fertilizer is a major
contributor, homeowners who use fertilizers high in phosphorus do more than
their share. Homeowners use three to six times more chemicals, per acre,
than corn and soybean farmers. One pound of phosphorus in a lake can result
in 300-500 pounds of algae. Algae growth smells bad, looks bad and creates
an oxygen-deprived environment for fish. Lawn chemicals and groundwater
Unlike other Wisconsin communities where pesticide contamination has shut down
wells, Madison is fortunate to have fairly good water quality. While Madison's
drinking water meets or surpasses state and federal water standards, the
presence of nitrate in our groundwater should give us all pause before using
quick-release fertilizers. According to the Madison Water Utility's annual
water quality report, runoff from fertilizer use is one of the likely
sources of these nitrates.