A proposal to roll back a ban on displaying fertilizers with phosphorus get a hearing today. The ban is a result of bipartisan legislation passed last legislative session which requires retailers to keep the product in the back.
The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters is opposing AB 165 saying runoff from the chemical leads to algae-choked, stinky lakes. “It goes a long way to deter tourism we’ve worked so hard to attract from Illinois and other parts of the country,” says Program Director Anne Sayers.
The bill would allow retailers to display phosphorus fertilizers but require a sign specifying legal guidelines for use of the chemical. Phosphorus can only be applied to grass in special circumstances such as commercial use.
But the League is concerned these circumstance can lead to confusion and “may result in people accidentally buying it for use on their own lawns.”
The state Senate Agriculture, Forestry, and Higher Education Committee is taking up the bill.
