Join the NYC Urban Soils Institute for a Free Soils Testing Workshop at SWALE House (Building 11) on Governors Island! Bring soil from your home or garden and we'll test it for heavy metals content. All ages are welcome! No registration needed - this is first come, first serve

Full Instructions:

Choose an area to sample. For example; a garden bed, bare patch of soil, a soil pile

1. Decide why you are testing. That will determine how deep to sample:

2. 0-2 or 4 inches: If you are concerned about contamination in the upper, more exposed part of the soil

   1. 0-6 or 8 inches: If you are concerned about soil contamination from surface to root zone and/or interested in the growing zone of your vegetables, fruits, or flowers,

   2. below 8 inches: if you are concerned about soil issues below garden depth

3. If the area is bigger than 3x3 ft, use your trowel or spade to take several samples on a diagonal and combine into 1 sample, then take out one cupful for testing. Or submit one sample for a specific spot or concern. Remove any non-soil debris from the samples (sticks, rocks, artifacts)

4. Put 1 cup of soil into a sealable bag (do not overfill). 

5. Clearly label the bag with a permanent marker, with your last name, and a specific ID for each sample (ie, its location or descriptor).

6. Bring the sample(s) to USI staff at the soils testing workshop. Maximum 3 samples/person.

7. After testing, you must take your samples.

Why Test Soil?

Soils are one of our most important resources, but they can easily become contaminated as a result of industrial activity and legacy pollution. Common soil contaminants, such as lead or cadmium, can cause negative health effects to folks who work and play with soils, with young children at particular risk.

Fortunately, remediating soil that is contaminated with heavy metals can be inexpensive and doesn’t require professional services when contamination is found – that’s where we come in! Our state-of-the-art handheld pXRF analyzer quickly screens soil samples for heavy metals content, and lets us know if remediation is recommended.