It is important to know that chemical fertilizers, or synthetic fertilizers, are made from chemically transformed substances. They are prohibited in organic agriculture. Furthermore, they are often sold in liquid or water-soluble granules, making them readily assimilated by the plants. However, chemical fertilizers don’t only offer good properties.
Chemical fertilizer’s effects on soil and plants
• Poorly diversified nutrients
• More likely to harm plants if applied in excess ("fertilizer burn" to foliage or plant roots)
• May harm some beneficial organisms if not applied properly
• Soil depletion due to direct assimilation of the fertilizer by the plants, which leads to the reduction of the microbial life in the soil
Environmental impact
• Major cause of groundwater pollution, lakes and rivers, the main source of drinking water for humans
• Responsible for the chemical pollution of soils
• Toxic to many life forms and can threaten useful species like the bees
• Polluting industry: they require fossil gases for production
