Contaminated Land??

NoodleSoup · « **on:** April 27, 2008, 15:43 »

Well, I'm not best pleased today... :?

I bought a house a couple of months ago and one of the biggest draws of the house for me was the garden - it's 60 ft long which meant I could have my own little veggie patch, which I started and it seems to be going OK so far.

My house backs on to a small patch of wasteland which I always thought was a 'nature reserve' but yesterday I found out that the land is actually contaminated with copper, arsenic, lead and nickel - they wanted to build a children's school on the land but the cost of cleaning it up was prohibitive. I think that the contamination goes back years because it's from 'industry' and the area hasn't been industrial for a while.

My veggie patch is about 20ft away from the boundary, and I guess the worst bits will be in the centre plot of land which is probably 60ft away. My compost heaps directly back onto the wasteland. However, I know absolutely nothing about land contamination etc etc so my question is, I know the toxins above are not good for consumption, but is it safe for me to grow and eat vegetables nearby? Do plants absorb any of these toxins? How long does it take to disspiate (perhaps the question is akin to 'how long is a piece of string' as I have no idea what the original contamination levels were!)?

Gwiz · « **Reply #1 on:** April 27, 2008, 15:46 »

was this noted from your solicitor, it should have been!
might be worth a look at the report should you want to take the matter further.....

NoodleSoup · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2008, 15:52 »

Quote from: "gwiz"

was this noted from your solicitor, it should have been!
might be worth a look at the report should you want to take the matter further.....

Nope, it wasn't. TBH I don't think it's a problem as there is a primary school that backs onto the land and they are (apparently) well aware of the problem. Also, you can walk through the land (if you don't mind the 6ft high nettles :shock: ) so it's not like it's an environmental hazard. I'm more interested as to whether it will affect the plants in my garden and if it does, whether I should look into doing *all* my veggie growing in pots rather than in raised beds, and also not using the compost I'm currently making.

Gwiz · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2008, 15:56 »

I think you can send samples of soil to either the RHS or it might be the vetinary laboratory at byfleet for analysis. I haven't a clue whether there is a cost to it, but it might put your mind at rest.
just a thought.

peapod · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2008, 16:51 »

how about checking with your local council environmental dept, and also asking if they check suspect samples of soil?
I should think they were aware of what was there originally depositing this stuff, and they would have had some idea of contamination levels due to the school nearby
good luck

gobs · « **Reply #5 on:** April 27, 2008, 17:57 »

Arsenic does not sound good at all, so doesn't lead, don't know about the rest, but it highly depends on concentration levels, and also water table, which way are they washed in a flash flood, etc.

As the others say, you should get the soil tested, if the environmental agency has no documentation of tests done in your garden before development - which is likely, recent story, similar, new neighbourhood could not have a lottie sight, houses were OK - or doesn't want to do one, get one privately, as Gwiz suggests, as also it is just word of mouth, can be nothing worrying in there or can be something else than said.

mrsbaggins · « **Reply #6 on:** April 27, 2008, 19:32 »

Quote from: "NoodleSoup"

Well, I'm not best pleased today... :?

I bought a house a couple of months ago and one of the biggest draws of the house for me was the garden - it's 60 ft long which meant I could have my own little veggie patch, which I started and it seems to be going OK so far.

My house backs on to a small patch of wasteland which I always thought was a 'nature reserve' but yesterday I found out that the land is actually contaminated with copper, arsenic, lead and nickel - they wanted to build a children's school on the land but the cost of cleaning it up was prohibitive. I think that the contamination goes back years because it's from 'industry' and the area hasn't been industrial for a while.

quote]

i will try and ask my contaminated land expert at work for you as he deals with this type of thing. I cannot understand why this was not bought up on your search if you had one done. every search that comes into my council automatically asks 'is the land within 250m of contaminated land' and if it is then a report isALWAYS given. Really dont know why this has not happend in your case. As you dont have access to any kind of report how do you know about the arsenic etc. Is it local talk or something more substansial. To get a copy of the report go to your local env health or pollution section of your council. It may be that you have to pay for it but you may be able to sweet talk them. At my council if you go into the council yourself amd make an appointment you can check the contamintaed land register yourself as its classed as a pubic register and should be made available to you

NoodleSoup · « **Reply #7 on:** April 27, 2008, 19:42 »

Quote from: "mrsbaggins"

i will try and ask my contaminated land expert at work for you as he deals with this type of thing. I cannot understand why this was not bought up on your search if you had one done. every search that comes into my council automatically asks 'is the land within 250m of contaminated land' and if it is then a report isALWAYS given. Really dont know why this has not happend in your case. As you dont have access to any kind of report how do you know about the arsenic etc. Is it local talk or something more substansial.

Thanks, I would really appreciate it (and thanks for all the comments so far

). We are really, really surprised that it didn't show up on our searches and aren't best pleased, but as I said, I don't know how bad the land is.

The only reason why I found out was because the school near us wanted to build there only they have decided to locate to a different area. I was bored last night so I was reading up on the notes from the consultation and the reason given for changing the planned location of the school was because the site was contaminated and it was too expensive to decontaminate the area. So I did a bit of digging and came up with another piece of planning that our local rag had reported on a few years back saying that another piece of planning had fallen through because of the various contaminants on the land, and again it was too costly to sort the land out.

I'm not overly worried because I don't think it's very serious pollution as the area has a school and lots of houses backing onto it, and I'm sure the council would have said something if it was very hazardous, particularly with children in such close proximity, but it does make me question whether I want to carry on growing my own veg or not

Dominic · « **Reply #8 on:** April 27, 2008, 20:41 »

I'm really curious how this didnt turn up in your surveys, I got loads of bumph on land contamination, coal mining and flood risk.

If there was heavy Industry nearby, it just seems mad.

To be fair, your report wont be useful, It'll just highlight possible sources nearby.

Its hard to say really without taking a lot of soil samples.

If your higher than the contaminated sight, your more than likely going to be fine, if your lower, its probably going to be bad news

Yorkie · « **Reply #9 on:** April 27, 2008, 22:20 »

Lead and other nasties were found on an allotment site in my town a year or two ago, when a school wanted to expand. The site was effectively out of official use (i.e. tenants advised not to eat anything they grew, make sure hands were properly washed etc etc).

Part of the problem was that there weren't any official safety guidelines for levels in the soil for some of the contaminants, as far as growing veg was concerned.

Eventually everyone has started growing again after a clean-ish bill of health was given, if I recall correctly.

However, if your contamination is severe, I'd have thought better safe than sorry and don't eat anything on the affected land. Don't forget that nasties can travel through the soil horizontally, in the water.

Trillium · « **Reply #10 on:** April 27, 2008, 22:29 »

It'll probably turn out that your land isn't contaminated, but who'd take a chance? Not I. But to get around this easily, build high veg beds out of wood or whatever, at least 2 ft high, fill with good soil and start planting. Roots are unlikely to reach the ground level. You'll always be assured of clean veggies.

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