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OSU Extension identifies soil lead as threat
Lead can be found in garden soil, serves potential health threat
Nicholas Schram
Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: News
Despite the modern knowledge of the dangers of lead and lead poisoning, the metal is still prevalent enough in our world to be a potential health threat. One such source that individuals may not have considered yet is that of garden soil.
The Oregon State University Extension Service has released a new publication informing individuals how to evaluate and reduce potential lead hazards in their soil.
Certain areas are at a higher risk than others, and understanding where these areas are is essential to evaluating the risk of lead contamination in soil.
Dangerous places include redeveloped industrial sites, locations near older houses, old orchards, older parts of cities and near busy highways.
Old parts of cities and locations near highways may have lead contamination due to leaded gasoline, which was effectively banned in 1996.
Orchards can also be a lead danger since many used lead arsenate spray as pest control until 1950.
Houses built before 1960 are also at a higher risk because many were built with lead-based paints that were not banned until 1978.
According to Dan Sullivan, a soil scientist with the department of crop and soil science, it is very difficult to know if your soil is contaminated without having it tested.
"If you don't know, get your soil tested," Sullivan said to those who are wary of their soil's condition.
Lead binds strongly to soil particles, said Sullivan, which means dust is the most common mode of lead distribution from the soil. Therefore, reducing the amount of dust exposure is considered the most important step one can take in preventing lead exposure.
Reducing soil dust can be accomplished by covering the soil. Sullivan recommends a number of different covers, such as dense turf grass, heavy organic mulch or a perennial ground cover. One should also carefully peel and wash any produce grown in the soil to avoid exposure through ingestion.
Testing soil for lead contamination is a service provided by many commercial testing laboratories, and it is recommended that people seek such a service if they suspect their soil may be contaminated.
Nicholas Schram, staff writer
news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231
The Oregon State University Extension Service has released a new publication informing individuals how to evaluate and reduce potential lead hazards in their soil.
Certain areas are at a higher risk than others, and understanding where these areas are is essential to evaluating the risk of lead contamination in soil.
Dangerous places include redeveloped industrial sites, locations near older houses, old orchards, older parts of cities and near busy highways.
Old parts of cities and locations near highways may have lead contamination due to leaded gasoline, which was effectively banned in 1996.
Orchards can also be a lead danger since many used lead arsenate spray as pest control until 1950.
Houses built before 1960 are also at a higher risk because many were built with lead-based paints that were not banned until 1978.
According to Dan Sullivan, a soil scientist with the department of crop and soil science, it is very difficult to know if your soil is contaminated without having it tested.
"If you don't know, get your soil tested," Sullivan said to those who are wary of their soil's condition.
Lead binds strongly to soil particles, said Sullivan, which means dust is the most common mode of lead distribution from the soil. Therefore, reducing the amount of dust exposure is considered the most important step one can take in preventing lead exposure.
Reducing soil dust can be accomplished by covering the soil. Sullivan recommends a number of different covers, such as dense turf grass, heavy organic mulch or a perennial ground cover. One should also carefully peel and wash any produce grown in the soil to avoid exposure through ingestion.
Testing soil for lead contamination is a service provided by many commercial testing laboratories, and it is recommended that people seek such a service if they suspect their soil may be contaminated.
Nicholas Schram, staff writer
news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231
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