Safety of urban - grown nutrient is a vexation for city James Leonard Farmer . As farmers in big city across the country transmute vacant pile into growing sites for move their food production closer to home , the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency strongly urge them to quiz the dirt for taint .
“ I recall we can get self-satisfied because we build a enhance layer and we bring in in clean filling . We are now make a magnet for exposure . We are convey the great unwashed onto a situation that we do n’t know what ’s on the site , ” said Ann Carroll of the EPA ’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization during a group discussion call hosted by the Community Food Security Coalition ’s Urban Agriculture Committee .
The EPA ’s Brownfields Program offers grants for try soil in “ brownfields , ” vacant wad whose redevelopment or reuse might be hindered due to the presence of a risky substance , pollutant or contaminant . One condition , however , is that only governments are eligible to get grant funds through this programme .
“ The expert news for urban farmers is they can work with their local , county or regional government to employ for the grant , try out the site to make certain its secure , or secure funding to houseclean it up before they start funding , ” Carroll said .
Another mode for urban center farmers to take advantage of the grants offered through the Brownfields Program is to adjoin their local government or voluntary cleanup programme for an inventory of vacant lots that have been test and cleanse or are schedule for cleanup . The farmers can then develop and grow on lots already proven free of taint .
When Lynchburg Grows start operating as a city farm in Lynchburg , Va. , in 2004 , it partnered with the urban center and recruit in the local Voluntary Brownfields Program . Through the political platform , the city farm received $ 150,000 to do Phase 1 and Phase 2 environmental assessment on its holding and an conterminous metropolis property .
On its 2 acres of land , Lynchburg Grows hosts nine greenhouses , five of which date back to 1919 . The nursery were painted with lead rouge . That lead eventually made its way into the soil and , as the judgement showed , created hot spots of lead five time higher than the EPA ’s safety gadget level . In addition , they found other harmful chemicals that did not exceed risk stratum .
“ Because we work with nipper and developmentally challenge adult , we wanted to get out all the erstwhile dirt that had all these contamination and bring in sassy organic compost , ” said Michael Van Ness , the farm ’s co - founding father .
Lynchburg Grows ’ brownfields cleanup is set to be finished by the end of 2010 , Van Ness articulate . Much of the work regard simple procedures , such as crest the land so masses do n’t have direct impinging with the grime . He recommends urban sodbuster not hesitate in partnering with their metropolis to clean up brownfields .
“ take care at the past utilisation of the dimension . If you call up there could be [ contaminants ] there , you need to go through these step , ” he said . “ After all , you are tattle about feeding communities . ”
Soil examination for vacant flock is site specific — no one test will answer , Carroll said . City granger must know the story of the lot and examination for dissimilar contaminant accordingly . potential contaminants soil should be tested for include lead or other weighty metallic element ; petroleum or other fuel oil color ; or solvents such as VOCs , PCBs and asbestos .
“ If you were in an area where there was a hatful of older housing — where lead blusher was plausibly used — and maybe shoot down down , you might think of lead and asbestos . If you were in an industrial orbit or there was a history of illegal dumping on the situation , you might start looking for a different retinue of environmental chemicals , ” Carroll sound out .
Additionally , because state have unlike grease testing thresholds and requirements , Carroll suggests city granger get to know their local brownfields touch and concerted elongation agents for advice .
