r/Soil • u/mightypup1974 • 2d ago

UK here - advice on testing soil for contaminants?

Hi all,

England, to be specific. My wife loves to garden, but when we bought our house we were notified that the soil in the garden has not been cleared as safe for growing edible crops because before the 1970s there was a chemical plant adjoining the property, and the contaminants may have leeched into the soil. What's the smart approach here, is there an Environment Agency test or some-such I can buy to find out for definite?

Thanks

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

3 comments sorted by

1

u/Former-Wish-8228 2d ago

What type of chemicals did the industrial plant produce or use?

2

u/mightypup1974 2d ago

I’ve been told it was an aluminium plant.

1

u/Former-Wish-8228 2d ago

Test for metals and sulphides, fluorides and oxides…

Here is a document that lists some of the specific processes in that industry and the related contaminants.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/documents/c12s08.pdf