Phosphorous Bans: Science and Public Policy

In a series of articles written for Environment & Climate News, Wayne Kussow, Ph.D., emeritus professor in the Department of Soil Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses the science behind phosphorus bans increasingly being proposed in state legislatures.

Although recognizing why lawmakers might support regulation or banning of phosphorous applications on turfgrass, even though the science suggests the law might actually be counterproductive, Kussow warns against such one-size-fits-all efforts. “Science can lead the way in the development and implementation of actions holding high promise for improving and protecting surface water quality, but each body of water must be treated as an individual occupying a particular position in the landscape,” he notes.