The EPA is accepting comments on relaxed rules for the presence of zinc and other toxic chemicals in fertilizer. Thes comments must be made by February 26, 2001. Below is a letter that a member sent to the EPA protesting these rules. You may make comments at the following web site. It is time for the EPA to take strong measures to stop this practice forever.
Toxic chemicals have no place in food, they have no place in agriculture.
Ban the use of hazardous wastes for manufacturing fertilizers by adopting the most stringent technology based standards for all zinc. Remove loopholes that allow hazardous steel mill waste to be turned into zinc fertilizer, and ban its use in fertilizer manufacture altogether. Ban all dioxin-laden wastes from fertilizer. Remove the exemption for mining wastes when used to manufacture micro-nutrient or any fertilizer product. Retain existing hazardous waste management requirements for hazardous wastes being made into fertilizer.