Synthetic Run Off Creating a Dead Zone

In the Gulf of Mexico, an aquatic dead zone has been growing in size for decades and this summer, when the zone spreads to its peak area of the year, will cover 8,198 square miles, an area around the size of the state of New Jersey. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this will be the third largest area since research began in 1985.

Last year, the hypoxic zone, an area with low to no oxygen that suffocates marine life, was around 6,000 square miles. The average of the past 32 years has been 5,309 square miles. Oceanographers from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium are predicting an even bigger area, one that covers more than 10,000 square miles.

In the Gulf of Mexico, these areas deprived of marine life and coral reefs are caused by synthetic agrochemicals run-off. The excess nutrients from fertilizers produce algae, which then sink and decompose in the water, reducing oxygen levels. Consequently, the low-oxygen environment is inhospitable for typical marine life and habitats. Not only are marine habitats destroyed, but also fish and other marine life are put at risk, ultimately lowering biodiversity and raising the cost of seafood.

The USGS estimated that 165,000 metric tons of nitrate and 22,6000 metric tons of phosphorus were deposited into the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River this past year. These nutrients come mainly from conventional agricultural practices from land surrounding the Mississippi River. The excess nutrients then leach into the soil, then the Mississippi River and eventually winding up in the Gulf of Mexico.

In order to save marine life, and limit the expansion of aquatic dead-zones, better, more sustainable agricultural methods need to be taken. Neem-based pesticides and fertilizers are an innovative solution. Instead of relying on synthetically produced chemicals, neem offers a natural, effective crop care that will not cause heavy environmental damage. Neem even slows the release of nitrogen, allowing more to be absorbed by the plants and therefore less released into the environment. With neem, major environmental issues like the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico can be reduced, if not eliminated!