NJ Senate, Assemby committees approve fertilizer regulation bill

The bill limits nitrogen content in fertilizer and requires at least 30 percent of it to be the slow release type.

A measure to regulate what goes into fertilizer and how it’s used in New Jersey has been approved at a special joint meeting of the senate and assembly environmental committees in Toms River.

The bill limits nitrogen content in fertilizer and requires at least 30 percent of it to be the slow release type.

New Jersey Sierra Club director Jeff Tittel says that will reduce the impact on New Jersey waterways.

“These nutrients hit our bays and our rivers, cause algae to bloom. That algae takes the oxygen out and leads to fish kills. It also helps protect our drinking water because those algae blooms suck the oxygen out of our water that we have to drink inland.”

But an agriculture extension specialist at Rutgers says if lower nitrogen fertilizer does not satisfy some homeowners, they may end up using more of it or applying it more frequently.

The measure that will go to the full legislature for consideration would allow fertilizers to be used only between the beginning of March and mid November.