Gardening near the airport - Ask Extension
Is it safe to grow food gardens and orchards near the airport?
What toxins may be in the soil and what may come from the air?
Knowledgebase
Gardening near the airport #867986
Asked May 11, 2024, 11:04 AM EDT
Is it safe to grow food gardens and orchards near the airport?
What toxins may be in the soil and what may come from the air?
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Barbara: What is the history of the site besides being near the airport? Is there an older house on the property? That can be a source of lead which was widely used in paint through the early 1970s. If people had a burn pile there, that might have concerns re lead and other heavy metals.
You could do a check for heavy metals. Here are some links to companies that do this. The tests aren't cheap.
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HEALTHYENVIRONMENTS/HEALTHYNEIGHBORHOODS/HEALTHYGARDENING/Documents/oha-interpreting-yard-garden-soil-testing-results.pdf
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-1616-reducing-lead-hazard-gardens-play-areas
https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/Pesticides/Documents/2020/AnalyticalLabsServingOregon.pdf
I did some checking and didn't find much to warrant concern from airport pollution directly from overhead flying. There have been some famous farms near airports in California and Europe.
Also, strong soil with high organic matter and high biological activity can decompose chemicals like fuel residues etc. if by, chance they are there. That organic activity is what we gardeners treasure for so many rains.
Hope this helps. Feel free to follow up with any questions through the Ask Extension system or directly to me at <personal data hidden>. Chip Bubl OSU Extension Agent/Columbia County (recently retired).
You could do a check for heavy metals. Here are some links to companies that do this. The tests aren't cheap.
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HEALTHYENVIRONMENTS/HEALTHYNEIGHBORHOODS/HEALTHYGARDENING/Documents/oha-interpreting-yard-garden-soil-testing-results.pdf
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-1616-reducing-lead-hazard-gardens-play-areas
https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/Pesticides/Documents/2020/AnalyticalLabsServingOregon.pdf
I did some checking and didn't find much to warrant concern from airport pollution directly from overhead flying. There have been some famous farms near airports in California and Europe.
Also, strong soil with high organic matter and high biological activity can decompose chemicals like fuel residues etc. if by, chance they are there. That organic activity is what we gardeners treasure for so many rains.
Hope this helps. Feel free to follow up with any questions through the Ask Extension system or directly to me at <personal data hidden>. Chip Bubl OSU Extension Agent/Columbia County (recently retired).
