Urban Gardens and Soil Contaminants

The struggling economy and the growth of the organic and local food movements have led to an increase in the number of vegetable gardens being planted in urban settings. The nutritional, emotional, and environmental bene ts of gardening have been well documented. However, in some cases past uses of the site may have contaminated the soil, requiring use of simple precautions to prevent exposure to harmful substances. While this factsheet will concentrate on vegetable gardens, the information is applicable to all types of gardens and urban lawns. It will look at contaminants of concern, soil testing, minimizing exposure risk, and resources for more information. The available resources listed focus on the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN.

Urban Gardens and Soil Contaminants (PDF, 3.2 Mb)

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