Lead Arsenate long lasting damage to soil

The Long Term Impact of the use of Lead Arsenate for spraying orchards from 1980 through to 1960s.

The following government paper giving advice to property owners reveals that over 50 years later the soil in these orchards can remain so toxic that the only way to develop the land is by removing all the top soil. J. R. of WWW.Vaccines.plus.com

Please note that this toxic substance was in use until the 1960s - this may help explain why thousads of cases of polio continued to occuir in the US after the introduction of the polio vaccine in 1955.

This is the html version of the file http://datcp.state.wi.us/arm/agriculture/pest-fert/pesticides/accp/pdf/pbasq&a.pdf.

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Lead and Arsenic in Soil of Old Fruit Orchards
If you live on, own, or are considering buying property that was formerly a fruit orchard, here is
some information that you should know. Lead arsenate pesticides were used to control insects in
orchards from the 1890s to the 1960s. Research shows that the lead and arsenic remain in the soil
long after the pesticide was used. The common health concerns associated with lead and arsenic
in former orchard soil are from long-term exposure via inhalation and ingestion. Exposure can be
minimized by avoiding contact with the soil using the following measures:
· Keep good grass and vegetative cover on lawns; do not leave bare soil exposed.
· Wash hands and face after gardening and before eating.
· Wash garden vegetables well. Uptake of lead and arsenic in the vegetables themselves is less
of a concern than the actual dirt particles sticking to the vegetables.
· Keep toys and pacifiers, things that children are likely to put in their mouths, clean.
· Bring in sand for a sandbox for kids; discourage them from playing in the dirt.
· Avoid tracking dirt into the home.
As you can see, these are all common and appropriate practices anyway. In the following
sections, we answer some of the questions you may have about how historical lead arsenate use
affects you and your property. If you have further questions about health impacts, you can call
the Department of Health and Family Services at 608-266-5817. If you have questions about soil
sampling or regulations, see the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
(DATCP) lead arsenate web page at http://datcp.state.wi.us/arm/agriculture/pest-
fert/pesticides/accp/lead_arsen.htm or call DATCP at 608-224-4513.
How do I know if my property was an orchard?
If you are not sure whether your property was an orchard prior to 1960, you can look at historic
aerial photographs. Your county Land Conservation Department (called Soil and Water
Conservation Department in some counties) likely has aerial photos from the early 1940s
onwards. Orchard trees appear as dots in a regular grid pattern. Maps of orchard locations in
Door County are available from the Door County Soil and Water Conservation Department at
920-746-2214. DATCP is currently working on mapping orchard locations in several other
counties and plans to make those maps available over the Internet.
Does this mean there is lead and arsenic in the soil on my property?
There will always be some lead and arsenic in the soil because they are naturally occurring
elements. How much naturally occurring lead and arsenic there is in the soil will vary from
region to region, and is called the “background level.” However, in areas where lead arsenate
pesticides were used, we can expect higher lead and arsenic concentrations. The concentration
will depend on many factors, such as how long the property was an orchard during the 1890s to
the 1960s, how much and how often lead arsenate pesticide was used (in general, more was used
on apple orchards), the soil type, and how soil was handled during development of the property.
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How can lead and arsenic in the soil affect my health?
The concentrations of lead and arsenic in soil at former orchards are not high enough to cause
immediate negative health effects. Childhood exposure to lead can affect brain and nervous
system development. Exposure to high lead levels can adversely affect the nervous system and
kidneys of adults and children. Long-term exposure to arsenic can lead to several kinds of
cancer. Long-term contact with the soil can be minimized through the simple measures listed
above. For more detailed information about health effects, contact the Department of Health and
Family Services at 608-266-5817. You can obtain their fact sheet at
http://www.dhfs.state.wi.us/eh/HlthHaz/fs/LeadArPest.htm.
Should I sample my soil for lead and arsenic?
Soil sampling is optional. Avoiding contact with soil using the previously listed measures is most
important. You can sample your soil if you want to know the concentrations. Target your
sampling to locations where you have frequent contact with the soil such as vegetable gardens
and flowerbeds. For each sampling location, remove vegetation and collect a sample from the top
three inches of soil from several spots, mix it together, and then place about one half cup of the
mixed sample in a clean plastic container. Write the sample name on the container, for example
“vegetable garden,” as well as your name and the collection date.
Does this issue affect my drinking water?
Lead and arsenic from pesticide applications bind tightly to the surface soil and have not been a
problem in well water in most areas. In some areas of Wisconsin, elevated levels of arsenic occur
naturally in the groundwater due to geologic conditions. If you receive water from a public water
supply, your water is tested for lead and arsenic. If you have a private well, you may choose to
have a sample analyzed.
Sending Samples
Send soil samples to a lab in a clean plastic container that is labeled with the sample name, your
name, and the date sampled. For water samples, contact the lab for special sampling bottles. Ask
the lab about any special collection and shipping procedures for water. With any samples you
send to a lab, include the following information: your name, phone number, date sampled,
sample names, analyses requested, and mailing address for results and billing. Analysis of one
soil sample for both lead and arsenic will cost between $30 and $60.
Contact the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) lab certification program at 608-
267-7633 for a list of certified commercial labs, or obtain the list from
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/science/lc/search/com_labs.pdf.
Check with the lab before
shipping samples to make sure that they can do the analyses you want.
Sampling Results
Soil
Your soil results will probably be given in units of milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), which is the
same as parts per million (ppm). DATCP considers 5 ppm arsenic and 50 ppm lead to be general
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background levels for Wisconsin soil. No action is required for concentrations below these
levels.
If you have between 5 ppm and 100 ppm arsenic and/or 50 ppm and 400 ppm lead, your soil is
considered to be contaminated at the “pesticide-use level.” You can manage these levels with the
measures listed at the top of this notice. You do not have to report these levels to DATCP, but
we would appreciate hearing from you at 608-224-4513, so that we can gain a better
understanding of the distribution of these compounds at old orchard sites.
If the concentration of arsenic exceeds 100 ppm or the concentration of lead exceeds 400 ppm, it
is likely the result of a spill or the mixing and loading of pesticide, as opposed to application of
pesticide. Contact DATCP, Agricultural Chemical Cleanup Program, PO Box 8911, Madison,
WI 53708-8911 or call 608-224-4519 to report the situation. You will receive information about
how to proceed.
Water
Your water results will probably be given in units of micrograms per liter (
mg/L), which is the
same as parts per billion (ppb). The Drinking Water standard for arsenic is 10 ppb and for lead
15 ppb. Contact the Drinking Water Specialist at your regional DNR office with questions about
groundwater quality and to report concentrations that exceed the Drinking Water standards.
How does this affect my property value?
The effect of the lead arsenate contamination on property values will likely depend on the level
of contamination and the availability of uncontaminated properties in your area. Your realtor will
be the best source to ask about the economic consequences of lead arsenate use in your area.
Notifying future property owners
Under Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 709 “Disclosure by owners of residential real estate,” you
must notify the buyer of any property defects, which would include knowledge that the property
was formerly an orchard during the period of lead arsenate use and may be affected by lead and
arsenic. The buyer may choose to sample the soil before the purchase. A special disclosure form
has been developed for properties on former orchards. Ask your realtor about this form.
Likewise, if you are buying a property on a former orchard, the current owner should inform you
if their property was a former orchard and should provide you with any sampling results they
have obtained.
ARM-PUB-99 (Rev. 01/03)

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