Page 35 - ALG Issue 4 2017

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QBon res
The tenant on the plot next to mine has been bringing all sorts of rubbish up to his plot and burning it on open res
(not in a container): tins of paint, industrial size plastic cabling, chest freezer, fake leather three piece suite, plastic bags full of nameless rubbish, coat hangers etc. I complained to the Council (as they own the allotments) and he seems to have stopped
for now. However, I’m worried about contamination from toxins released in the re, both airborne and leaching into the soil. A friend who’s a chemistry grad said some poisons will stay in the ground for ages, and advised that the Council should test the soil before they let anyone else grow food on the affected plot. I’m also worried about my plot and the one on the other side from the res.
The Council say they think the only danger is airborne and that has passed now. They don’t really seem interested, to be honest. Do you know how real the risk is of soil contamination? Should
I press for some soil sampling? And will this year’s crops have been affected by the burning? I’ve tried googling for answers but can’t nd much that’s helpful. I’m worried about whether I’ve been poisoning my family, and also for the long-term impact on the soil of our common land.
AI am alarmed at the relaxed attitude taken by the local authority and especially the allotment site management committee. Surprisingly, there is no speci c legislation governing the lighting of bon res in gardens and on allotment sites. As a consequence of this, the regulations surrounding bon res contained in local byelaws can vary from one local authority to another or one allotment site to another. However, there are legal obligations that have to be followed. Take a look at www.gov.uk/ garden-bon res-rules. Environmental Protection UK have published a very informative pamphlet on Garden Bon res as well. Closer to home I found a Doncaster Council Fact Sheet on bon res. Both could be drawn to the attention of the committee and plotholders.
It is wise to be concerned about any possible contamination, especially where a food crop is being grown. I would pursue having the soil tested. Just because the soil may be able to grow a crop it doesn’t follow that the crop is safe to eat. If there is a contamination issue hopefully it can be overcome by re-soiling the affected area with fresh soil.
It is dif cult at a distance to assess any direct damage to your crops from the bon re. They may have suffered from direct heat scorch. Inspect the plants for signs of soot smuts and remove the leaves. Any younger leaves produced after the bon re should be clean. The main problem would be from the leaching and movement of pollutants through the ground via soil water. If all of the vegetative growth in the surrounding area remains healthy this indicates a narrow escape.
I understand your concern. It is a thoroughly irresponsible and lazy way to dispose of rubbish when the local authorities offer safe and clean public disposal methods. The management committee should meet their obligations and ban the disposal of rubbish on the allotment site.
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