Martins
Pond has extremely high levels of phosphorous as discovered in
recent studies. (1) Just as phosphorous stimulates growth in lawn
fertilizer, phosphorous in the pond has resulted in the rapid growth
of aquatic plants and algae blooms. Most of you have noticed the
increase in weeds in the pond, and the Fall 2003 "pea soup" algae
bloom was the worst on record at Martins Pond.
One way
we can reduce phosphorous in Martins Pond is to reduce the amount of
phosphorous leaching into the pond. If you live within 300 feet of
Martins Pond, phosphorous you use in your home can reach the pond
through your septic leaching system. If you received this notice at
your home you are believed to be within this "Critical Zone." (2)
Most of
us are aware that phosphorous was banned from laundry detergents
years ago. At the time, automatic dishwashers were not widely used
and were overlooked. If you use a dishwasher 5 times per week using
Cascade Plus Powder and live in the "Critical Zone", you may
contribute 3.3 pounds of phosphorous per year to Martins Pond.
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If you use
Palmolive Get, you could contribute 1 pound per year. Phosphorous-free
dishwasher detergents, of course, contribute nothing. (2)
What if 100
households agree to change to zero phosphorous? If on average they used
dishwasher detergents which are middle of the road, like Sunlight Gel at
2.5 pounds per year, there could be a 250 pound
reduction in phosphorous entering the pond per year!!! The
Martins Pond Association, through funding from DEP, is purchasing an
aquatic plant harvesting machine and will begin removing weeds next
summer. Reducing phosphorous now will help slow their regrowth and
increase the project's success.
Listed below
is a common brands vs. phosphorous-free brands comparison, and where to
purchase phosphorous-free brands. Prices listed are approximate and are
from Shaw's North Reading unless otherwise noted. Because
phosphorous-free brands may be slightly more expensive, we will
reimburse you $1 for each box top used within 2005. |
