The University of Michigan (U-M) strives to provide opportunities for healthy living throughout the entire U-M community. The care and maintenance of recreational and athletic facilities on campus requires use of disinfecting chemicals to maintain sanitary conditions and a primary natural resource water. Disinfecting chemicals include chlorine and bromine in pool water to kill pathogenic parasites and bacteria which would otherwise present a potential health hazard to swimmers. The use of large quantities of water is necessary to provide a desirable playing surface on golf course greens and to maintain optimum health of the turf.

Therefore, it is important to use strategies and technologies that provide maximum benefits with minimum environmental impact. This section describes some strategies used in U-M recreational sports and athletic facilities for conserving water and minimizing chemical impacts. New waste minimization and pollution prevention initiatives will be added to this section upon development and implementation. For more information on any topic in this section, please contact the Department of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health or visit our Web site at www.oseh.umich.edu/.

• Use of Organic Golf Course Debris
• Computerized Irrigation System for the U-M Golf Course

References:
United States Golf Association. Golf and the Environment. 1997.
Telephone conversation with The Toro Company. July, 1997.
Personal interviews with U-M Faculty and Staff.