Fertilizer Storage and Handling
Home*A*Syst Home Worksheet Intro Information Sheet (PDF) Glossary Go To The Worksheet
Fertilizer Storage and Handling Fact/Worksheet
How will these materials help me to protect my drinking water?
How do I complete the worksheet?
Why should I be concerned?
Fertilizers can contribute significantly to the productivity of farms and ranches. Commercial fertilizer is a major source of nitrogen, and may be used in several chemical forms, including nitrate.
Nitrate-nitrogen concentrations which exceed the public health standard of 10 mg/L* have been found in some drinking water wells. Infants less than six months of age are particularly susceptible to health problems from high nitrate-nitrogen levels. One such condition is methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome). Adults may also be affected by high nitrate concentrations, especially the elderly or infirm.
Young animals have demonstrated health problems related to nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in the 20 to 40 mg/L range. These problems may be compounded by high nitrate-nitrogen feed sources.
Proper handling and storage of fertilizers will help prevent potential leaching of nitrate to ground water if accidental spills occur. Your drinking water is less likely to be contaminated when all appropriate management and disposal procedures are followed. Surface water may also be susceptible to contamination from nitrates or other fertilizers, if proper containment and disposal procedures are not followed.
Although fertilizers are a major source of nitrates in rural areas, other sources include septic systems, animal lots, manure storage areas, and silage storage facilities. These facilities are addressed in separate Home*A*Syst fact/worksheets.
The goal of Home*A*Syst is to help you protect the environment and your drinking water.
*milligrams per liter, equivalent to parts per million
How will these materials help me to protect my drinking water?
- It will take you step-by-step through your fertilizer storage, handling, and disposal practices.
- It will rank your activities according to how they might affect the ground water that provides your drinking water supply.
- It will provide you with easy-to-understand rankings that will help you analyze the risk level of your fertilizer storage, handling, and disposal practices.
- It will help you determine which of your practices are reasonably safe and effective, and which practices might require some modification to better protect your drinking water.
How do I complete the worksheet?
After reviewing the information provided, select Go To The Worksheet in links at the left. It should take you about 15 to 30 minutes to complete the worksheet and summarize your risk rankings.
Information derived from Home*A*Syst worksheets is intended only to provide general information and recommendations to rural residents regarding their own homestead practices. It is not the intent of this educational program to keep records of individual results.