Saturday, July 27, 2024. 10 AM-1PM. US EPA presents SoilShop. Visit the Kentucky Gardens at West 38th and Franklin in Cleveland's Ohio City. Everyone is welcome, first come first serve for soil sampling. There's convenient access to residents of the Clark Fulton, Westown and Detroit Shoreway neighborhoods. In addition to having soil samples screened for lead, visitors can get lead safety information, take a tour of the historic Kentucky Gardens, and participate in EPA presentations on lead safe practices and pesticide safety. Visit here to get instructions on preparing a sample.

SoilSHOP Event at Old Brooklyn August 5, 2023

On Saturday August 5th CLASH and the US EPA shared a tent at the Old Brooklyn Farmer's market where residents brought garden and play area soil in baggies to be tested for lead contamination.  

With a soundtrack of motorcycles and ambulances whizzing past, Shannon Walsh and Naomi Morgan tested over 30 samples using an XRF (X-ray fluorescent) machine. The XRF looked like a large plastic gun which they pointed at a plastic baggie of dirt for one minute and by xray measured the lead level of each sample.

One couple, whose home was pre-1900, had high levels. Another family was concerned because one of their three children had an elevated blood lead level based on earlier medical testing.

Last year, the EPA action level was 400 ppm (parts per million) but this year, based on new research, the action level has been reduced to 100 PPM in residential areas. Many of the samples tested on Saturday were in the 200 to 800 range.  Shannon from EPA counselled that even much lower levels can call for action. "There is no safe level of lead."

Listening to Shannon give advice about how to remedy the situation was instructive. Use raised beds with fresh dirt that's isolated from the contaminated dirt, using 6" of mulch to bare spots and take your shoes off before entering the house were among the recommendations. Reported by Molly Garfield.

Here's Shannon's interview with Channel 19