[Simon Neary]

I have just started to cultivate an allotment on a site which borders a quite busy road where there is often standing traffic, my plot is about 25 yards from the road.

My wife feels that this is going to be a source of pollution and she may not welcome the produce with the enthusiasm I would have hoped for. Although I have opted to play down her concern on principle, I would like to seek informed and objective information

1) Is it a problem?

2) If it is, are there vegetables I should avoid?

3) If there is a problem to what extent can it be countered by washing produce carefully before consumption

The site is unusual, but probably not unique, because it is also close to a preserved steam railway (Severn Valley) that runs in a cutting. I can hear and see the smoke from passing locomotives but this is certainly not a cause of concern (even to my wife)

Most interested to have any comments

Thanks





Simon Neary

[dugless]

I am afraid that we are bombarded with all sorts of scares these days.
we have too many Experts with vested interest in their subjects, it is difficult to know what is safe and what is not, especialy as some of the advise conflicts or gets changed.
IMO if the plants grow normally with  no disfigeration. then I would eat them.

[poultrygeist]

I know, when all petrol contained lead, they warned against picking wild blackberries alongside busy roads.
Don't know if anything nasty can get absorbed into produce these days, but as you say, always a good idea to give it a wash.

Rob

[upert]

divorce her.

[shaun]

whats she going to say when you take your lettuce/cabbages home with holes in the leaves ? 

[Jake]

Chemicals produced from burning petroleum are generated all over the country(well the world really), they drift around in the air and when it rains they come down to the land and into the soil.

I am not a scientist but I would expect any extra risk is marginal or none existent. There are farms near coal fired power plants and all along the motorways of the UK. The veg you grow yourself is bound to be as safe or safer that that which you buy in the supermarket.

But I'm just a bloke with an opinion, don't sue me if I'm wrong

[Yorkie]

Many sites are bounded by roads, indeed ours has a busy road on one side.

I really don't think there's much to worry about at all, I wouldn't give plants a greater wash than usual.

Oh, and welcome to the forums 

[Christine]

I have just started to cultivate an allotment on a site which borders a quite busy road where there is often standing traffic, my plot is about 25 yards from the road.

My wife feels that this is going to be a source of pollution and she may not welcome the produce with the enthusiasm I would have hoped for.

Simon please tell your wife that a road passes my allotment on the other side of the hedge and that I'm here to tell the tale some years later and am far fitter than I was when I went to work. And that is despite it being a busy road with buses, deliveries, cars and motor bikes.

I think that if your produce is well washed and properly cooked, you and your wife should benefit from the allotment as I, my children and grandchildren have done from mine.

[upert]

you appear to be yellow and have lost your nose. i think his wife is on to something.

[David.]

The last time I checked this out with the Soil Association, crops grown the just the other side of the hedge from a busy A road could still be classed as organic.

[peapod]

A strange remark upert and I hope it was only a joke, you seemed to have missed off a smiley if so...

Im with Christine, my plot is also next to a busy road, and some of the old boys have been there nearly 30 years, and they are still ticking along nicely

[Ice]

25 yards is quite a distance from the road.  It certainly wouldn't worry me to grow there. 

[penance]

If your worried about it I would also suggest you never go out the front door just incase you are hit by a bus

[FCG]

If your wife is extra worried throw up some 'absorbing' plants along the border with the road. Spider plant is especially good for this.

As someone who is involved with roads I can assure you that the pollution risk is marginal. Certainly you'll get the smell while you are there but the vegetables will be fine. Most cars (bar the imports) have strict emissions control (i.e. platinum catalytic converters) to pass their MOT's. A quick wash with water before you eat them and you're golden.

[Faz]

A strange remark upert and I hope it was only a joke, you seemed to have missed off a smiley if so...

He was referring to the yellow noseless avatar next to Christine's post. Here's a smily on his behalf 

Your local authority has a duty to control air pollution in your area and will have published at least one report on air quality as a result of the National Air Quality Objectives established around 10 years ago.

Have a shufty on their website under pollution and hopefully you'll be able to find the Stage 1 (and possibly 2 and 3) reports on air quality. These reports compare air quality to nationally recognised standards and should help you out.