Soil toxicity testing..... is it true there is no cheap and easy test?

Little wonder there is no idea on how much toxins we are eating and only building sites carry them out.

Soil Association say "Hello, 

 

Unfortunately there is no cheap and simple way to do a thorough test on soil for toxic substances. If you know what toxin you are looking for, and can do a specific test for that substance, that is possible, (and the price will vary depending on the substance). But to do a very wide ranging test would be expensive. For organic farmers and growers, when land goes in to the 2 year conversion period, the organic inspector will always ask about the previous history of the land use. If land has previously been in industrial use, then organic certifiers would require soil tests. There are some chemicals, like PCBs, which are widespread in the environment, even though their use has been banned for many years, and it is in practice impossible to avoid some ubiquitous environmental contamination which human beings have caused over the last 60 years.

What organic farming and growing can do is guarantee that no more toxic chemicals are added to the soil or sprayed on food that we are going to eat. Hope this helps."

https://www.facebook.com/soilassociation/posts/10151595058993816?comment_id=39715806&offset=0&total_comments=2&notif_t=feed_comment

For interest here is a sample report.................... It is for a building site. No such requirements for land we eat food from and may be sold.

http://www.fastsoiltesting.co.uk/static/Sample-Soil-Contamination-Assessment-Report.pdf

Rapid Response Soil Testing

–

Contamination Report

Section A:

Introduction

A site visit was carried out on Monday 13

th

February to collect soil samples from

Sample Site

Soil contamination testing was required within 3 previously identified potential hotspots to assess the

current

levels of contamination in order to classify the waste before disposal.

Hotspot 1

–

5m x 5m x 5m (LxWxD)

Hotspot 2

–

5m x 10m x 5m

Hotspot 3

–

15m x 5m x 2m

Soil samples

are

to be taken every

12

5m

3

from the center of the area

and testing is to be carried

out against

Ecofficiency’s Standard Classification suite

.

A sample location plan is included within Appendix B of this document.

Section B:

Contamination Assessment

Samples 8 & 9 taken from Hotspot 2 have been classified as hazardous due to elevated

levels of Petroleum

Hydrocarbons (TPHs).

Sample 4 taken from Hotspot 1 also showed elevated levels of TPHs however these readings were

inconsistent with other samples from the same area.

Section C:

Waste Classification

Sample ID

Waste Classification

EWC Code

Comments

Sample 1

Non Hazardous Soils

17

-

05

-

04

Sample 2

Non

-

Hazardous

Soils

17

-

05

-

04

Sample 3

Non Hazardous Soils

17

-

05

-

04

Sample 4

Hazardous

Soils

17

-

05

-

03

*

Sample 5

Non Hazardous Soils

17

-

05

-

04

Sample 6

Non

-

Hazardous

Soils

17

-

05

-

04

Sample 7

Non Hazardous Soils

17

-

05

-

04

Sample 8

Hazardous

Soils

17

-

05

-

03

*

Sample 9

Hazardous Soils

17

-

05

-

03*

Section D:

Conclusion and Recommendations

The majority of test results were returned as non

-

hazardous and within SGVs for the development

of site.

Elevated TPH levels identified at Sample Locations 4, 8 and 9 were inconsistent with the readings acquired

from the majority of the site and should be treated as hotspots. These areas should be excavated in full until

all visual and olfactory evi

dence of TPH contaminated ground has been removed. Further soil testing should

then be undertaken at each side and the base of the excavation to validate the removal of all contaminated

ground identified on site.

Due to the identification of contaminated ground it is recommended that the local authority is consulted at

this stage to advise on whether a full Phase 2 Site Investigation & Risk Assessment is required to satisfy

planning conditions.