In the USA, a series of loopholes in federal law controlling solid waste, hazardous waste, and mine tailings have the effect of allowing the application of hazardous materials as fertilizer. European countries and Canada regulate fertilizers for heavy metal contaminants, but in the USA regulation of fertilizers is at the discretion of the states. In New Jersey, as in many states, commercial fertilizer products are regulated for guaranteed nutrient concentration while the concentrations of non-nutrient substances are unregulated. In an effort to minimize public exposure to heavy metals from fertilizers in the current unregulated market an extension program is being initiated to provide information and resources. While the great majority of commercial fertilizer products are generally regarded as safe and free of heavy metal contamination a limited number of products of concern have been identified in the garden center and fertilizer dealer market. An example of a product of concern that is widely available to home gardeners is Ironite. A recent study reports that Ironite contains up to 3600 mg/kg As and 2900 mg/kg Pb and that the product should be classified as a hazardous waste based on leaching tests (Environmental Science & Technology, 2004 pp 5400-5404). A limited survey of commercial products obtained from fertilizer dealers in New Jersey identified one zinc product of concern that contained 83 mg/kg Cd and a liming material that had a Ni concentration of 194 mg/kg. New Jersey state officials, garden centers and fertilizer dealers are being informed about these suspect products. In Washington State, fertilizers must be tested and results posted on the web: http://agr.wa.gov/PestFert/Fertilizers/default.htm Because many of the fertilizers listed there are national brands, farmers and gardeners may find this website helpful for selecting products with the lowest level of heavy metal concentration.