Page 39 - Occupational Health & Safety, April 2018

which undergo chemical treatments. The formulations are precise and deliberate, de- pending on its intended use, and they are relatively cost-effective.
At face value, you might think that chemical fertilizers give farmers more con- trol over their crop production at the right price. You would be right, but you would also be wrong. Chemical fertilizers do al- low farmers to produce more and/or high- quality crops in the short-term, but may lead to fewer or poor quality crops in the long term. This is because of the intricacies of soil health.
Much like humans, the soil needs a deli- cate balance of nutrients to remain healthy. While NPK can definitely help plants and crops grow, simply adding them to the soil without regard for keeping the balance can lead to unintended consequences or hid- den dangers.
Environmental Issues
One of the problems with chemical fertil- izers is they seep through the soil into the groundwater and other water sources, lead- ing to contamination. Now, NPK in small quantities is non-toxic, but a lot can kill the balance of nature in various ways. Nitrogen is especially tricky.
One way is by doing exactly what it is supposed to do, which is help plants grow. The problem is it creates what experts call a dead zone. When it is in the water, it en- courages the growth of plankton and other aquatic plants to excessive amounts. When they die, the process of decomposition eats up oxygen that fish and other aquatic ani- mals need to survive. As a result, the waters closest to the land where agricultural runoff is also heaviest are empty of fish and crusta- ceans. This upsets the ecosystem of the area and the local fishing industry.
It would not help much to stop using chemical fertilizer in the worst hit areas. Nitrogen in the water can persist for many years, so it will continue to affect the envi- ronment even without adding more.
Another problem with nitrogen is it con- tributes to the greenhouse effect. Dubbed the “other greenhouse gas,” nitrogen is just as bad as carbon dioxide in global warming, but is not as famous. The main sources of nitrogen in the atmosphere in the form of nitrous oxide are power plants and cars, but using more nitrogen fertilizers than crop
plants can absorb plays a significant role.
In addition, chemical fertilizers can make the topsoil acidic, because nitrogen lowers the pH of the soil. The ideal pH for maximum plant growth and crop yield is between 5.5 and 8. If the soil is too acidic
(pH lower than 5.5), it will yield less crops. The environmental issues of using chemical fertilizers are bad, and they will take many years to address. However, an immediate concern with chemical fertiliz-
ers is the effect on human health.
Human Issues
At the very least, food crops produced us- ing chemical fertilizers may not be as nu- tritious as they should be. This is because chemical fertilizers trade fast growth for health in plants, resulting in crops that have less nutritional value. Plants will grow on little more than NPK, but they will be miss- ing or developing less of essential nutrients such as calcium, zinc, and iron. This can have a small but cumulative effect on the health of people that consume them.
At worst, chemical fertilizers may in- crease the risks of developing cancer in adults and children and adversely affecting fetal brain development. This is not news to scientists. A 1994 study by the Uni- versity of Wisconsin suggests that typical concentrations of nitrate (a common fer- tilizer) and a pesticide in the groundwater may compromise the nervous, endocrine, and immune system of young children and developing fetuses. A study in 1973 associates high levels of sodium nitrate in groundwater with the prevalence of gas- tric cancer, and another one in 1996 with
that of testicular cancer.
A relatively recent study, however,
shows that chemical fertilizers may play a significant role in the development of met- hemoglobinemia, otherwise known as Blue Baby syndrome. Researchers believe the condition results from feeding the infants with baby formula using well water con- taminated with nitrates. The baby literally turns blue, and this condition may eventu- ally lead to coma or death.
Chemical fertilizer contamination is not just a danger in rural areas, either. Much of the excess fertilizer originates from cities, applied over residential and commercial lawns and making its way to the water sup- ply. The problem is such that many cities have laws restricting the use of chemical fertilizers in public spaces.
Conclusion
Chemical fertilizers have their uses, but they also have hidden dangers. Whether used in a farm or lawn, applying more than the plants can use to help them grow results in damage to the environment and hu- man health. Because the damage caused by chemical fertilizers is often long-term and cumulative, it may be wiser to consider al- ternative and sustainable methods of fertil- izing the soil.
Laura Buckler is a freelance writer and manager at https://essays.scholaradvisor. com/. She has a different perception of the world. She believes people should realize how much potential they have, so she helps them understand that. You can find her at https:// twitter.com/laura_buckler on Twitter.
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