Through the years, arsenic has been found at more than a dozen South Florida golf courses, the result of a variety of herbicides Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are substances used to control unwanted plants. Selective herbicides control specific weed species, while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed, while non-selective herbicides can be used to clear waste ground, industrial and construction sites, r… and pesticides being used over time. "Over the years and years of applying these materials, there is a buildup in arsenic," said Jeff Halsey, Broward's director for the Environmental and Consumer Protection Division.Herbicide
The repeated use of organoarsenical herbicides on golf courses results in concentrated application of arsenic in the localized areas.
The average golf course uses 312 gallons of water per day for maintenance of the grounds. As this water flows through the property, it can pick up contaminants such as petroleum, pesticides, and fertilizers.
Chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide used extensively in the agricultural industry, as well as on golf courses, green houses, and as mosquito adulticide.
Toxic Fairways People living near a golf course may be affected by sprays and dusts blown from the golf course onto their property and into their homes. Finally, pesticides applied to the turf may run off into surface waters or leach down to groundwater, which can then expose people to contaminated drinking water.
Land Footprint Golf requires more land per player than any other sport. Environmentalists say that developers destroy natural habitats to build courses, removing native species and contributing to soil erosion and sediment runoff to nearby bodies of water.
Environmentalists argue that golf course land is not only a waste of space, but also harbors harmful impacts to the earth and environment, such as pesticide use. This negative impact occurs by using large quantities of water and destroying habitats for wildlife species.
The Pesticide Specialist explained that pesticides are used on golf courses and other recreational areas to maintain the health and appearance of the turf. James learned that most golf courses have highly trained golf course superintendents who manage the course, including turf management and pest control strategies.
While Roundup is not commonly used on golf courses, it is widely applied in public parks, around schools and on fields where children play — something that also deeply troubles Nisker, a father of three.
Farms and golf courses use a variety of chemicals and pesticides that can kill fish and other aquatic animals if sprayed near or in water. Sometimes the chemicals -- even those properly applied -- can be flushed into a canal or pond as run-off during a torrential rainstorm.
One of the biggest concerns you may have living next to a golf course is a golf ball landing on your property. While small, golf balls can cause big damage. You can up your home insurance coverage, but that will lead to a higher monthly premium.
The most obvious drawback to living on a golf course is the constant activity behind your home if you live directly on a fairway or green. There are busy parts of every neighborhood, but few involve golf carts and a steady stream of people as early as 5 a.m. on every possible day the weather allows it.
Paraquat, a chemical herbicide and effective weed killer, has been sold by Syngenta and Chevron since the 1960s and has been widely used on golf courses, recreational areas, such as parks, and extensively within the agricultural industry.
Monosodium methanearsonate (MSMA) is a commonly used herbicide on golf courses. To investigate the variation in abundance of arsenic (As) after MSMA application, 28 golf course lakes were monitored monthly for one year. The As concentrations varied substantially in and between individual lakes with values up to 124 μg/L (mean = 10.9 μg/L, n = 336).
The use of monosodium methanearsonate (MSMA) on golf courses is a wide spread practice for weed control ( Busey, 2004) and there is increasing interest in the fate of MSMA in the environment ( Snyder and Cisar, 2002 ).
The four golf courses (B, C, R and RY) chosen for this study are located in Hillsborough County, Florida, exact locations in form of GPS coordinates are B: 28°03′09.35″N, 82°28′23.92″W; C: 28°04′19.29″N, 82°24′31.00″W; R: 28°01′11.55″N, 82°25′25.99″W; RY: 28°58′41.85″N, 82°33′26.42″W.
Total As concentration in all golf course lakes ranged from a minimum of 0.1 to a maximum of 124 μg/L. The lowest As concentration were generally seen in lakes from golf course R, which recently underwent complete renovation.
Arsenic concentrations in the 28 golf course lakes were higher than those in comparable lakes not associated with golf courses. Concentrations fluctuated on an annual basis and correlated positively with the application of MSMA.
We thank the 4 golf courses and their staff for the tremendous support throughout the duration of our study. Without their cooperation this study would not have been possible. Funding was provided through a University of South Florida, University Community Initiative grant to TP and RB.
Richgreens has offered to sell the property – acquired in 2016 for $2 million – to the city for $14.3 million. Last month, after the extent of the environmental problems had become known, the city counter-offered $9 million. Negotiations are continuing.
Hollywood’s plans to buy a former golf course and convert it into a nature preserve and passive public park are moving slowly amid concerns about the owner’s controversial decision to lay down a thick layer of lime sludge across the site.
About two months ago, when Richgreens told the county it was going to begin spreading nonhazardous sludge at the site as part of the pilot program, county officials advised against it until the second license was secured. Nevertheless, the county had no power to stop it from proceeding, officials said.