St. John's Safer Soil
Safe Gardening and Recreation in Elevated Soil-Lead Areas
What can I do?
Fortunately, there's lots that we can do to ensure safe enjoyment of urban green spaces.
Test Your Soil
Pay special attention to areas adjacent to buildings (driplines) or roadways, children’s play areas, vegetable gardens, high traffic areas and bare soil patches.
1. Collect two cups of soil from the top 2” of the area of concern. For long areas like driplines or property borders, take several evenly spaced samples, combine well in a bucket, and send two cups of this mixture to a lab. For large areas, take evenly spaced samples along an imaginary “X” across the area and then follow the same procedure.
2. Place soil in a plastic bag and seal well. (Double-bagging is a good idea.)
3. Label the bag with your name and address, the location of the sample and the sample date.
4. Send samples to a local lab for analysis.
You can send your samples to:
Eastern Analytical Ltd.
403 Little Bay Road
P.O. Box 187
Springdale, NL
A0J 1T0
Canada
Phone: (709) 673-3909
Fax: (709) 673-3408
info@easternanalytical.ca
Include a letter asking for an "ICP 11", which will provide an analysis of lead and 10 other elements.
Testing will cost about $8 per sample, (include payment with your sample), but call first for current rates.
Lead in Soil: How Much is too Much?
Different countries have different guidelines for soil lead:
Canada (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) Guideline
Agricultural Areas 70 ppm
Residential/Parkland 140 ppm
USA (US Environmental Protection Agency EMPACT Program)
Low Under 400 ppm
Moderately High 400 – 2000 ppm
High 2000 – 5000 ppm
Very High 5000 ppm or more
Reduce Lead Mobility with Soil Amendments
Add Compost!: Lead tends to bind with organic matter. Adding compost to soil will reduce lead mobility.
Add Lime!: Lead is more mobile in acidic soil. Adding lime to soil will reduce acidity and also reduce lead mobility.
Reduce Exposure – Keep it Covered!
Driplines
2’ x 6’ wooden raised beds can be constructed along driplines. Place landscaping fabric beneath the raised bed, add new soil and a layer of mulch. Then plant shrubs and/or erect a short fence around the area to discourage children or pets from digging there.
Children’s Play Areas and Family Areas
Locate play areas away from driplines or high lead areas. Larger raised beds can also be used for children’s play areas and family areas. Cover existing soil with landscaping fabric, cover with a few inches of new soil in the raised bed, and top with mulch. Wooden decks are another option.
Lawns and Pathways
Keep bare soil covered with a well maintained lawn. Construct stone, concrete or brick walkways for heavy traffic areas.
Bare Areas Under Decks
These areas can be covered with new soil and mulch or stone to prevent dust, and then barricaded using wooden lattice.
Pet Areas
Keep pet areas of the yard covered with good sod, raised beds with new soil, mulch or crushed stone. Wash pets frequently.
Vegetable Gardens
Locate gardens away from driplines or high lead areas. Grow food in containers or raised beds filled with new soil and with landscaping fabric beneath it. Don’t use yard waste from high lead soil areas in compost used for your vegetable beds. Test soil in your vegetable beds annually. (Wind can deposit lead from other locations.)
Keep bare areas around your vegetable garden covered with sod, stone or mulch so wind does not blow contaminated soil into your garden.
Add compost and lime to prevent lead from being absorbed into vegetables and fruit. Wash garden produce well with a vinegar solution.
Keep tools used for landscaping separate from vegetable garden tools, or rinse them before using them for vegetable gardening.
“Homeowners and residents should take precautions when gardening in or around lead-contaminated soil. Though plants generally do not accumulate lead, it is possible for a plant to absorb some lead in settings where soil-lead levels are very high. In addition, lead-contaminated dust can settle on the surface of garden plants.
Basic precautions include washing all vegetables with a vinegar-water solution, locating gardens away from driplines of houses, roads and highly contaminated yard areas, and planting crops that are less likely to absorb or accumulate lead. In general, this means planting fruiting crops (e.g., corn, beans, squash, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, apples) and avoiding root crops and leafy vegetables (e.g., carrots, radishes, lettuce, collard greens, spinach) since they are more likely to absorb lead from soils or become coated with lead-contaminated dust.”
-- EMPACT, Lead-Safe Yards, Section 7.2.6 “Gardens,” pg. 90”
Landscaping Tips
Moisten dirt before digging, to prevent generating dust which can be inhaled or deposited on clothes. Consider wearing a dust mask in windy conditions.
Avoid hand to mouth activity like eating or smoking when digging in high lead soil.
Keep children and pets away from work areas.
A Healthy Diet Reduces Risk!
Vitamin C, Iron and Calcium all reduce the absorption of lead in the body. A balanced diet will provide these important vitamins and minerals.
Other Tips
Use a dust mat at the door and remove outdoor shoes before entering the home. Keep an extra pair of shoes or boots for the garden.
Wear an outside layer of gardening clothes which can be removed and placed in a plastic bag, then washed separately.
Wear gloves when gardening or landscaping, and wash hands frequently, especially before eating.
Fore more information...
For more detailed information regarding soil testing and lead safe yard best practices, please refer to our online resources, and especially to Chapter 7 of the EMPACT Lead Safe Yard Online Handbook at http://www.epa.gov/region1/leadsafe/pdf/entire_document.pdf.
(While much of the information in this document is intended for organizations who are planning a community 'Lead Safe Yard' program, and contains some information directly related to a US contexts, it is also useful to residential homeowners anywhere who want to learn more about creating a lead safe yard for their families.)
You can also download the St. John's Safer Soil brochure here!
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