- New rules to limit phosphorus in fertilisers
- Part of Liberal-National Government's plan to tackle nutrient loads in waterways
Protection of the State's rivers and waterways would be increased with the introduction on January 1 of new limits on the amount of phosphorus contained in home garden fertilisers.
Announcing the State Government's new $3million Fertiliser Partnership program with Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman, Environment and Water Minister Bill Marmion said regulations to reduce the concentration of phosphorus in domestic-use fertiliser first came into force in 2011.
"The next stage is reducing phosphorus in garden fertiliser from 2.5 per cent to 2 per cent from January 1 next year. The amount of phosphorus in all-purpose and lawn fertiliser is limited to one per cent," Mr Marmion said.
"Controlled release and processed organic fertilisers, such as 'blood and bone', composts and composted chicken manure-based products, initially exempt from the regulations, will now need to comply with these requirements.
"The main problem with fertilisers is that excess phosphorus can cause algal blooms in our waterways and lead to the death of fish and marine life.
"Further limiting the amount of phosphorus contained in home garden fertilisers will align more closely with plant requirements and reduce the excess that could end up in the Swan-Canning River system and other South-West waterways."
Mr Redman said it was a collective effort to meet the challenge of reducing nutrients and organic matter in waterways, which were the main contributors to low oxygen and algal blooms.
The Fertiliser Partnership will invite the fertiliser industry, agricultural, horticultural and community groups to join forces to work with Government to reduce nutrient run off and ensure the State's rivers remained healthy.
"The Fertiliser Partnership will deliver an integrated approach by State agencies and strengthen the development of best practice nutrient management in agricultural, horticultural and recreational uses," Mr Redman said.
"This will lead to improved primary production and reduced producer costs while delivering fewer nutrients to the environment."
Funds for the Fertiliser Partnership 2012-2016, which supersedes the Fertiliser Action Plan, were allocated from the State's Natural Resource Management program.
Fact File
- Liberal-National Government invested much effort into protecting State's rivers, including allocating $4.69million to build four oxygenation plants and $3.29million to reduce nutrients entering the Swan and Canning rivers
- Other State Government initiatives include - investing $350,000 to implement the Vasse-Wonnerup Water Quality Plan, including retrofitting stormwater upgrades in the Geographe catchment to reduce nutrients from urban areas entering the wetlands and bay; and investing $1million to conduct whole farm nutrient mapping on more than 200 farms in critical areas throughout the Swan and Scott Coastal Plains catchment
- The Fertiliser Partnership website is at http://www.fertiliserpartnership.agric.wa.gov.au
Environment Minister's office - 6552 6800
