TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa fertilizer manufacturer Mosaic is requesting federal approval to use more than 300 tons of phosphogypsum to test its use in road construction.

The radioactive material is the byproduct of making fertilizer.

The phosphogypsum is currently being stored in gypsum stacks throughout the state. Last month, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill allowing the Florida Department of Transportation to study its use in road construction. Environmental groups are raising serious concerning over using the toxic material, claiming that the last place it needs to be is under our vehicles.

“It’s radioactive. It’s toxic," said Florida Right to Clean Water spokesman Joseph Bonasia. “And so there are great concerns here for what it means for the environment, in particular our waters and also of course for people.”

Some legislators believe it’s a good idea to consider using some of the material on roadways.

“This legislation will call for it to unlock the recycling potential of (phosphogypsum)”, said Republican State Sen. Jay Trumbull, “and eliminate massive gypstacks as the only option for managing PG.” Ragan Whitlock with the Center for Biological Diversity argues that the state should learn from its own history.

“We’re just two years removed from the Piney Point leak which contaminated Tampa Bay and killed countless endangered species," he said, “The phosphate industry understands it needs to do something with its toxic waste and instead of holding themselves accountable and better managing it, they want to spread it across our roadways.”

Florida Right to Clean Water is working to gather 900,000 signatures by the end of the year to petition to amend the state constitution to make clean water a right in Florida. So far, the groups has collected about 70,000 signatures.