White House garden tests positive for lead

[RockX]

White House garden tests positive for lead


WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says its high-profile garden on the South Lawn has tested positive for lead although it is not at dangerous levels.

White House spokeswoman Katie McCormick-Lelyveld said Thursday that tests on the soil in the White House garden detected lead levels of 93 parts per million. Soil is considered unsafe for growing vegetables when it reaches more than 500 parts per million.

First lady Michelle Obama planted the garden on the South Lawn this spring with local schoolchildren. Produce from it is used in the White House kitchens and donated to area groups.

McCormick-Lelyveld says the White House will continue to grow vegetables in its garden, which food activists sought and praised.

LOL

You can bet your bottom dollar, not one vegetable will ever be served on their table again.

[ib1yysguy]

See what happens when the government gets in the business of vegetable growing?!!?

[DamnYankee]

Urban soil contains lead from old paint and from car exhaust. I tested soil adjacent to an old house one time and it was about 100 times higher- almost worthy of the smelter. *shrug*

[Mott the Hoople]

Urban soil contains lead from old paint and from car exhaust. I tested soil adjacent to an old house one time and it was about 100 times higher- almost worthy of the smelter. *shrug*

How did you test it?

Part of the problem with soil testing is that lead is often present at these levels in species that are chemically inert. Lead silicate is commonly found in soil and is, from an environmental standpoint, harmless.

[DamnYankee]

How did you test it?

Part of the problem with soil testing is that lead is often present at these levels in species that are chemically inert. Lead silicate is commonly found in soil and is, from an environmental standpoint, harmless.

Brought it to a lab that does environmental testing. I did a little study on this site- an 110 year old house that had been scraped and painted many times. This was the soil adjacent to the foundation where all the scraped paint would have landed and all the rain would have washed shit off the side of the house over the years.