A special series from Grist, the Center for Public Integrity, and The World
Growing Food, Sowing Trouble
![](https://grist.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/fertilizer-series-illo.jpg?quality=75&strip=all)
Grist, the Center for Public Integrity, and The World examine how our dependence on fertilizer harms the climate and endangers the public.
In This Series
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How do we fix America’s fertilizer problem? Look in this ditch.
America has a fertilizer problem. This ditch in Indiana could provide a solution.
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A common fertilizer can cause explosions. The EPA doesn’t classify it as ‘hazardous.’
A common fertilizer can cause explosions. The EPA doesn’t classify it as 'hazardous.'
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Gulf shrimpers fight for their livelihoods in a fertilizer-fueled dead zone
Farm pollutants from multiple states feed a massive dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Shrimpers pay the cost.
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Ohio officials know how to stop Lake Erie from turning toxic, but no one will do it
Lake Erie turns toxic every summer. Officials aren’t cracking down on the source.
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Small farmers feel left out amid a boom in African fertilizer production
Africa is turning a corner toward producing more fertilizer locally.
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Fertilizer feeds humanity — and it’s destroying the Gulf of Mexico
How can we slow down a pollutant we depend on for survival?
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Fertilizer is a major pollutant. Why doesn’t the government regulate it as one?
Fertilizer is a major pollutant. Why doesn't the government regulate it as one?