REVIEW
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The Fertilizer Regulation Act of 1998 requires the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) to review registration applications for waste-derived and micronutrient fertilizers. The process developed by Ecology requires fertilizer manufacturers or the registrants of fertilizer products to provide analyses of their products for leachable metals as well as halogenated organic compounds when they go through the biennial registration process with the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). The analyses of the fertilizer products must not exceed the federal or state regulatory standards for metals or other compounds in hazardous wastes that are placed on the land. By using these standards for waste-derived fertilizers we can be assured that these products are, at a minimum, meeting the requirements for wastes placed on the land. Ecology developed the criteria for this review process to screen waste-derived and potentially waste-derived fertilizer products. This screening process using these criteria will allow Ecology to evaluate waste-derived products and identify those that contain elevated levels of certain compounds, such as leachable metals, that have the potential to contaminate soils. As mentioned above, these fertilizers must either meet the standards already in place for hazardous wastes containing those same compounds that are placed on the land or the manufacturer must prove that no hazardous wastes are used in the production of the product. If the manufacturer is unable to meet one of these two conditions, that product will not be recommended for registration in Washington. For a detailed description of Ecology’s review process for waste-derived and micronutrient fertilizers, click here (link to Notice of New Review Process). For more information about this review process or Ecology’s Waste In Fertilizer Database, please contact Miles Kuntz at (360) 407-6748 or e-mail miku461@ecy.wa.gov. |