[USCC] Contaminated park brings end to community garden plan

Mon May 4 10:42:10 CDT 2009

Dear Paul Hughes and Barbara Emeneau:

I just responded to the phytoextraction question, but I have information
which could help with the original issue, Pb contamination of a
community garden. All urban soils are contaminated with Pb. The issue is
the level of Pb. The key risk is soil ingestion by children, not uptake
of Pb by garden foods. And methods have been developed to treat soils
with phosphate rich composts to reduce the bioavailability of soil Pb.
Most regulators measure only total soil Pb and presume it is all
bioavailable. But research has shown that at least to 400 ppm Pb in soil
(US Gov. limit for HUD and EPA for soils where children may play), there
is no demonstrable risk to children from the soil Pb. Adding phosphate
or compost rich in phosphate cause the formation of a very low
solubility and low bioavailability Pb compound, Pb-pyromorphite. We did
a large study in Joplin, MO, and showed at 69% reduction in
bioavailability to humans by conducting a human volunteer feeding test.
I can't attach PDF files to messages to USCC, but let me know if you
want some papers about reducing Pb bioavailability to protect children.
In the US, treatment to reduce soil Pb bioavailability is recognized by
US-EPA, and there is a soil test for bioaccessible Pb (correlated with
bioavailable) to use instead of the total soil Pb to decide if a soil is
too contaminated to use for gardening or to allow children access.

Regards,

Rufus Chaney
USDA-ARS
Beltsville, MD
Rufus.Chaney at ars.usda.gov

-----Original Message-----
From: compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com
[mailto:compost-bounces at mailman.cloudnet.com] On Behalf Of
apismno at aol.com
Sent: Friday, May 01, 2009 11:07 AM
To: compost at mailman.cloudnet.com
Subject: Re: [USCC] Contaminated park brings end to community garden
plan

There are probably phytoremediation choices that can be used for the
lead.? The hydrocarbons might be biodegradable and so getting the pH
,N,P,K, etc into the ranges that promote microbial life might work.?
Then just sow a crop that can be easily checked for Pb.? It could take
several years, but the lead is the more difficult problem to remediate,
yet probably doable for reasonable cost.

It could become a learning center until the lead is diminished.

Barbara Emeneau

-----Original Message-----
From: IMI 360 <focus at netidea.com>
To: U.S. Composting Council listserve <compost at mailman.cloudnet.com>
Sent: Thu, 30 Apr 2009 4:05 pm
Subject: [USCC] Contaminated park brings end to community garden plan

Any info out there about organic remediation of contaminated soil?

Contaminated park brings end to community garden plan

Stanley Avenue Park, in Ottawa's New Edinburgh neighbourhood, was  
fenced off last week after soil tests showed high levels of lead and  
hydrocarbons.

According to the city, the waiting lists for garden plots in most of  
Ottawa's neighbourhoods are two years long.

full story...http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/04/30/ 
ottawa-090430-soil-contamination.html

Paul Hughes
Chair, Calgary Food Policy Council
2011 New Growing Spaces in Calgary by 2011
CLUCK: Calgary Liberated Urban Chicken Klub
http://twitter.com/GardenCommunity
c403.383.3420

P    Please consider the environment before printing this email

_______________________________________
Join us as the US Composting Council's 18th Annual Conference & Trade
Show, 
January 24-27, 2010 at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, FL. The Largest
Conference & 
Exhibition in North America for the Composting, Wood Waste, & Organics
Recycling 
Industry. The Most Comprehensive Program of Training Courses,
Educational & 
Technical Presentations, and Facility Tours & "Live" Equipment
Demonstrations at 
the Disney/Reedy Creek Composting Facility. Conference Highlights &
Program, 
Registration forms, Exhibitor Information and Sponsorship Opportunities 
available at the USCC website www.compostingcouncil.org or call the USCC
at 
631.737.4931
________________________________________________________________________
_____
Compost maillist - compost at mailman.cloudnet.com
http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost
_______________________________________
This list is a service provided by the US Composting Council (USCC).
(c) Copyright 2004 United States Composting Council - All rights
reserved

Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the USCC, the
Foundation, or the 
Board of Directors.

Non-members of USCC are encouraged to join the Council through its
website at: 
http://www.compostingcouncil.org/membership.cfm

Members posting CC copies 
to the list and other addresses may have their posting 
privileges suspended. For discussion list policies and information
regarding 
subscribing, unsubscribing, digest or other options, go to:
http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost

For additional help in unsubcribing or to report bugs and problems, send
a 
message to the List Manager at compostlistmanager at compostingcouncil.org

_______________________________________
Join us as the US Composting Council's 18th Annual Conference & Trade
Show, January 24-27, 2010 at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, FL. The Largest
Conference & Exhibition in North America for the Composting, Wood Waste,
& Organics Recycling Industry. The Most Comprehensive Program of
Training Courses, Educational & Technical Presentations, and Facility
Tours & "Live" Equipment Demonstrations at the Disney/Reedy Creek
Composting Facility. Conference Highlights & Program, Registration
forms, Exhibitor Information and Sponsorship Opportunities available at
the USCC website www.compostingcouncil.org or call the USCC at
631.737.4931
________________________________________________________________________
_____
Compost maillist - compost at mailman.cloudnet.com
http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost
_______________________________________
This list is a service provided by the US Composting Council (USCC).
(c) Copyright 2004 United States Composting Council - All rights
reserved

Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the USCC, the
Foundation, or the Board of Directors.

Non-members of USCC are encouraged to join the Council through its
website at: http://www.compostingcouncil.org/membership.cfm

Members posting CC copies to the list and other addresses may have their
posting privileges suspended. For discussion list policies and
information regarding subscribing, unsubscribing, digest or other
options, go to: http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost

For additional help in unsubcribing or to report bugs and problems, send
a message to the List Manager at
compostlistmanager at compostingcouncil.org