Crystal Green® Receives State Phosphorus Exemptions for Turf Applications

VANCOUVER, CANADA (January 30, 2013) – As the trend toward restricting the use of phosphorus-containing fertilizers on turfgrass continues, Crystal Green®, the world’s first slowrelease, renewable and environmentally responsible phosphorus fertilizer, has been granted phosphorus exemptions in Michigan, Wisconsin and Virginia.

The exemptions allow golf course superintendents, sports turf managers, sod growers, lawn care operators and homeowners to apply this enhanced efficiency fertilizer to their turf where conventional phosphorus-containing products, such as monoammonium phosphate, are otherwise restricted or banned.

The phosphorus exemptions were granted due to the unique process used to create Crystal Green. The components in Crystal Green are recovered from nutrient-rich water streams using technology developed by Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc. The recovered phosphorus and nitrogen, together with magnesium are transformed into a fertilizer that is significantly higher in purity than its conventional counterparts.

“Crystal Green is a citrate-soluble fertilizer, meaning that it only releases in response to growing root demand,” said Dan Froehlich, Vice President of Agronomy at Ostara. “As a result, Crystal Green offers more consistent, plant-available phosphorus, nitrogen and magnesium than conventional water-soluble phosphorus fertilizers. It also means that Crystal Green is less likely to get tied up in the soil or to leach and run off into the water table, which is the case with conventional fertilizers. This makes it as environmentally responsible as it is highly efficient.”

“Wisconsin, Michigan and Virginia are just the start,” said Froehlich. “More and more states are seeking to balance the need to allow growers to adequately nourish their plants on the one hand, with the need to protect regional waterways from phosphorus overloading on the other. Crystal Green is ideally suited to address both these objectives.”

About Crystal Green®:
Crystal Green, enhanced efficiency fertilizer, is the first plant-activated, nutrient technology to offer plant-available, slow-release nutrients, sustainably made from a renewable source of phosphorus. Formulated with a 5-28-0 + 10% blend of phosphorus, nitrogen and magnesium, Crystal Green’s citrate-soluble prills offer more consistent, plant-available nutrients than conventional water-soluble phosphorus fertilizers, resulting in greater fertilizer efficiency, lower application rates, and reduced nutrient loss. Due to its slow release formulation and crystalline compound, Crystal Green’s season-long supply of plant-available nutrients, reduces the risk of leaching and runoff, and minimizes environmental damage, protecting sensitive regional waterways. Crystal Green is typically combined with other fertilizer inputs to create a complete blend used by an established network of blenders and distributors throughout the US and in parts of Europe, targeting farmers and growers in the agriculture, turf, and nursery markets. For more information about Crystal Green, visit www.crystalgreen.com.

About Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc.:
Ostara designs, builds and markets a proprietary nutrient recovery technology that sustainably transforms phosphorus and nitrogen recovered from municipal and industrial water treatment facilities into a high-value, eco-friendly fertilizer, sold and marketed by Ostara as Crystal Green®. Ostara’s nutrient recovery technology was invented at the University of British Columbia and commercialized in 2005, when the company was founded. The company has five operating nutrient recovery facilities, with three more in development, as well as a demonstration facility to treat industrial process water. Ostara is the recipient of numerous awards including being named a 2011 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, and being placed on the Global Cleantech 100 for the past four years. Ostara is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. For more information visit www.ostara.com.

For more information, please contact:
Debra Hadden
Director, Media Relations
Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc.
(604) 240-3196
dhadden@ostara.com
www.ostara.com

Fuzz Martin
Public Relations Manager
EPIC Creative
(262) 338-3700 ext. 26
press@epiccreative.com

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