[CANUFNET] Safety Testing of Fruits & Nuts/heavy metals+othercontaminant testing.

[For Trees Company Ltd.]

It depends on where the contamination was. At the Calgary site, detectable 
hazard  was only found at depth of about one meter, deeper than any root 
veggie, but still deep enough for some roots of trees, which is why it was 
interesting that no detectable hazard was found in the fruit tested, nor in 
any of the vegetation on the site. The matter is still before the courts, 
however.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jp Warren" <jpwarren at interlog.com>
To: <canufnet at list.web.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 9:05 AM
Subject: Re: [CANUFNET] Safety Testing of Fruits & Nuts/heavy 
metals+othercontaminant testing.


Growing root vegetables in such soils is a different story.

Jp Warren
416-467-1339 (desk)
416-629-2512 (mobile)
Toronto


Quoting "For Trees Company Ltd." <trees at fortrees.ca>:

> Hello Andrea,
> I concur with Mark. Extensive testing of trees and tree fruit growing
> in a subdivision in Calgary built on the former site of an oil refinery
> showed lead and hydrocarbon traces far below any health concerns, even
> though lead contamination was measurable in the soil.
> Gerard Fournier, BCMA # PR-0130BT
> Owner/Operator
> For Trees Company
>
> Trees For Life...Landscapes for Living...
> 403-335-8965
> www.fortrees.ca
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Payne, Mark" <Mark.Payne at york.ca>
> To: "Canadian Urban Forest Network" <canufnet at list.web.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 7:15 AM
> Subject: Re: [CANUFNET] Safety Testing of Fruits & Nuts/heavy metals
> +othercontaminant testing.
>
>
> Andrea,
>
> Beverly Hale from Guelph U has done a lot of work on vegetation uptake.
> You can also try contacting Mike Payne at OMAFRA.
> In my experience fruit trees do not uptake many contaminants well and
> even those that are uptaken well are often at low concentrations by in
> individual fruits.  I hope this was helpful.
>
> Mark Payne, MSc. QPRA
> Environmental Research and Policy Analyst
> Environmental Health Team
> Public Health
> York Region
> 465 Davis Drive, Suite 240
> Newmarket, ON L3Y 2P1
> (905) 895 4511 x4511
> toll free 1 (877) 464-9675 x4511
> fax (905) 836-8315
>
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>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: canufnet-bounces at list.web.net
> [mailto:canufnet-bounces at list.web.net] On Behalf Of Andrea Dawber
> Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 12:54 PM
> To: Canadian Urban Forest Network
> Cc: a.kenney at utoronto.ca
> Subject: [CANUFNET] Safety Testing of Fruits & Nuts/heavy metals +
> othercontaminant testing.
>
> Dear Canufnet folks,
>
> GreenHere has been using Andy Kenney's tree inventory in its taget
> area for the past 2 years, and there are almost 500 fruit trees -
> pears, plums, apricots, apples, serviceberries, peaches, cherries,
> walnuts, hackberry, butternut, etc.
>
> Food security/hunger and nutrition issues for the local communities
> could be partially addressed through the creation of a community fruit
> & nut harvesting program. (25% of families live on incomes of less
> than $20k.)
>
> However, the area is mixed industrial/residential with 3 railway
> corridors running through it.  Air and soil contamination is a concern
> with regards to the safety of fruit to be harvested from the area.
>
> Does anyone have any experience with testing for industrial
> contaminants in fresh fruit and/or what are the threshhold limits for
> certain contaminants i.e. heavy metals like lead and mercury?
>
> Any guidance or expert referrals that you may have with regards to
> ensuring the safety of food harvested and/or suggested tests to do
> would be most appreciated.
>
> Yours truly,
>
> Andrea Dawber
> GreenHere Director
> Tel. 416-656-8025 ext. 371; 403
> www.greenhere.ca