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Strong Fertilizer Ordinances in Florida

Fertilizer Ordinances are considered "low hanging fruit" when it comes to addressing the problem of nutrient pollution in Florida's waterways. So many solutions will take time, policy changes, and money to implement. But fertilizer ordinances cost very little to implement and can reduce nitrates in our waters immediately.

The backbone of a strong fertilizer ordinance includes a summer rainy season ban on nitrogen and phosphorus application, often June through September. During the rainy season in Florida, fertilizer does not have an opportunity to be absorbed into the soil before our frequent rainstorms wash the fertilizer off lawns and into the aquifer and springs, where it fuels algae growth.

Click on your county name below to get all the details of your local fertilizer ordinance. If your county is not listed, it has not yet adopted a strong fertilizer ordinance with a blackout period.


 



Nitrogen and Phosphorous containing lawn fertilizers are banned:


Alachua July 1 through February

Brevard June 1-September 30

Charlotte June 1-September 30

Hernando December 15th - March 15th and

June 1st - September 30th


Hillsborough June 1-September 30

Indian River June 1-September 30

Lake June 1-September 30

Orange June 1-September 30

Pinellas June 1-September 30


Lee June 1-September 30

Manatee June 1-September 30

Martin June 1-September 30

Miami-Dade May 15- October 31

Monroe May 15- October 31


Sarasota June 1-September 30

Seminole June 1-September 30

St. Lucie June 1-September 30

Volusia June 1-September 30









 

Thanks to Sierra Club Florida for sharing their knowledge of county fertilizer ordinances across the state. Sierra Club Florida has been the state's leading organization in advocating for and helping local governments to implement strong fertilizer ordinances, and we're grateful for their leadership and successes. We're honored to work with them and other partner organizations to make sure that fertilizer ordinances remain an option for counties and municipalities to improve their water quality.


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