FW: [nccommunitygarden] Fwd: Nation-wide Survey on Compost Use for Urban Agriculture
Rosa, Brian
Does anybody know about this survey? What about the comment “To date, there are no federal policies regulating the safety of compost in the United States”
Brian
From: nccommunity...@lists.ncsu.edu [mailto:nccommunity...@lists.ncsu.edu]
On Behalf Of Lucy Bradley
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 8:02 AM
To: NC Community Garden Listserve; Joanna Lelekacs
Subject: [nccommunitygarden] Fwd: Nation-wide Survey on Compost Use for Urban Agriculture
Nation-wide Survey on Compost Use for Urban Agriculture
Brabander Urban Geochemistry Laboratory at Wellesley College Wellesley, MA The purpose of this survey is to understand how urban farms in the U.S. obtain compost. As urban farming becomes increasingly common, compost use has also increased in the urban environment. We are interested in gathering information about compost sourcing and use practices on urban farms. Why are we interested in this? Starting in 1995, the City of Boston collected yard waste to create compost, which was distributed to residents and urban farms at no cost. By 2012, steadily increasing concentrations of lead in the compost forced the City of Boston to cease distribution of this municipal compost to residents. Research at Wellesley College, MA revealed that between 2006 and 2012, the lead concentration in the Boston compost doubled from 150±40 µg/g to an average of 400 µg/g, which is the EPA’s soil-lead benchmark. To learn more about our research, see this story from NPR: http://www.wbur.org/2012/10/15/lead-in-boston-compost To date, there are no federal policies regulating the safety of compost in the United States. By understanding the sourcing, processing and distribution of urban compost throughout the United States, we will be able to map the connection between trace metal pollutants and urban food production. The results of this survey will contribute to ongoing research that will ultimately inform policies aiming to improve access to safe compost for urban gardeners.
To participate in this short survey follow this link
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Lucy Bradley
Extension Specialist, Urban Horticulture
State Extension Master Gardener Coordinator
Campus Box 7609
Raleigh, NC 27695
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