PARENT SESSION
Contributed Oral Session 169: Late Breaking and Newsworthy Research: Sustainable Development, and an Aquatic and Terrestrial Collage
Friday, August 12, 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM, Meeting Room 524 C, Level 5, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Fertilizer in the national economy and sustainable environmental development.
Petrenko, Mr. Anatoly1, Palahin, Dr. Vladimir2, Stepanyuk, Ms. Sofiya3, 1 Cherkassy State University of Engineering and Technology, Cherkassy, Ukraine2 Cherkassy State University of Engineering and Technology, Cherkassy, Ukraine3 Foundation "Applied Researches and Development", Cherkassy, Ukraine
ABSTRACT- Of the many inputs used, fertilizer is the key to higher productivity. To meet the rising demand for food, fertilizer use will have to be increased by many times. In Ukraine, 65 per cent of the increase in food production is attributed to increased use of chemical fertilizers. Fertilizers are chemicals that often contain hazardous substances, such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury, antimony, nickel, chromium, manganese, etc. The essential phosphate fertilizers contain traces of radioactive element, e.g., uranium and other hazardous substances. Contamination from nitrogenous fertilizer is also not less hazardous if not applied to the soil in a balanced form. Nitrate level above 10 mg/litre in drinking water is considered as a human health hazard. In order to safeguard environmental components without impairing agricultural productivity (rather, for fostering sustainable growth), it will be necessary to promote increased use of fertilizers in balanced proportions. Environmental safe-limits for the harmful substances in fertilizers are to be defined, based on the countrys present level of fertilizer usage and related issues of productivity. The cost effectiveness of new fertilizer installation technologies versus farmers affordability of fertilizer needs to be critically reviewed along with environmental safe-limits. The challenge of boosting agricultural productivity to feed the fast growing population should be met with appropriate environmental guidelines for sustainable national development.
Key words: chemical fertilizers, contamination, agriculture productivity, sustainable development