Topic: Where do I find information.......

[monkey puzzle]

Local Council have applied for Outline Planning Permission which involves relocating allotments to an arable field currently in cultivation, on a slope, 30% of this season's crop germination on said field is poor. lower part floods in wet weather.

How do I find info. on how long agricultural chemicals remain in the soil (I realise without knowing what chemicals the farmer has used this is nigh impossible) and how near busy roads it is safe to plant leafy veg.  New plot will be adjacent to a road currently under construction.

Local Council want to create 17 sports pitches on current allotments.

Advice will be much appreciated.

 

[goodlife]

I wonder if defra would provide some info...bublic right for info act(or something along those lines)...
And make demand for the council  ::)for the current top soil to be skimmed off from allotments and spread over the new site...
In Finland(where I'm coming from) we were always tought not to forage or pick anything for eating purposes near roads..no closer than 25 metres..as heavy metals normally do land within that distance. Dust is a different story...but atleast you can was it off...
Council should also provide proper drainage for the bottom half as that area will never be any good for allotment use...maybe for growing willow or turning it to a pond...fishing.. ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

You can't register as organic till three years after the last application of chemicals. that should give you a guide, though I'd have thought agricultural fertilisers would leach out far sooner than that.

[Baccy Man]

Without knowing what was actually used you can only speculate.
If you know which crops are currently being grown you could take a look at a site like http://www.interfarm.co.uk/ProductGuide/Default.aspx?FilterGroupId=3 pick the crop from the list on the left & it will list the products they supply for that particular crop along with the safety data sheets in pdf format. Obviously there is no way of knowing for sure if any of those products have definitely been used or if they have used something else not recommended.

If you can identify any of the chemicals used then the chemicals regulation directorate website has an awful lot of information about chemicals currently & previously approved for use in the UK.
http://www.pesticides.gov.uk

It would also be worth investing in a soil test from the RHS if I recall correctly it costs £20 for RHS members or £25 for non members. It is an extremely extensive test & the results will be tailored to what you intend to grow giving recommendations as to what should be added (options for both organic or chemical amendments) & when the amendments should be made.
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Help-advice/RHS-Advisory-Service/RHS-Soil-Analysis-Service