We got our urban garden tested for heavy metals last year and found lead 119 ppm, the standards we used werethose of the government of Quebec, which has the strictest standards in Canada.They consider land to be toxic at 130 ppm. Lead will accumulate in leaves (not petioles) and roots. If you peel carrots they are safe to eat because the lead accumulates near the epidermis. Rhubarb is safe to eat. Lettuces, Spinach, Cabage etc. is not safe to eat. All fruits are safe to eat, because plants somehow do not let heavy metals into the seeds. Canola and Sunflowers are good for remediation, but they then must be treated as toxic waste. Compost should not be used in gardens with hight amounts of lead, compost increases the pH and lead is absorbed more by plants under conditions of low pH. Children under two should not be permitted into these gardens at all, apparently 25% of young children eat soil (pica) and children accumulate heavy metals at faster rates than adults. You may accumulate lead all your life and then when some tramautic physical event occurs the lead will leach out of your bones and you begin to lose your way in life. Please remember that no levels of lead are safe. You have to have a really educated group of gardeners to be able to garden safely where heavy metals are concerned. Raised beds, are they sustainable? I don't think so. The David Suzuki Foundation helped us to interpret the results. Karen
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