Join the NYC Urban Soils Institute for our monthly 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.

No registration needed - this is first come, first serve.

Directions:

1. Gather a plastic bag with about a cup of soil from your yard or garden, surface to 4’’ depth works best. Please clearly identify the bag so you can find it. For sampling guidance, contact: info@urbansoils.org Maximum 3 samples per person – please do not take soil from Governors Island.

2. Bring your sample to our drop-off station, located at Swale House (our new location is Building 11 in Nolan Park - small house across from church - see map).

3. We will test your sample for heavy metals content within 10 minutes and have it waiting for you on the porch at the pick-up table. The sample will come with a results label and a pamphlet describing best practices. Sample deadline: 4 pm

Why Test Soil?

Great question! Soils are one of our most important resources, but they can easily become contaminated as a result of legacy industrial activity in urban settings. Common soil contaminants tend to be heavy metals such as lead or cadmium, which can cause negative health effects to folks who work and play with soil. Fortunately, remediating soil contaminated with heavy metals can be easy, inexpensive and doesn’t require professional services. The tricky part is identifying heavy metal contamination, so we’ll help you with that! Our state-of-the-art handheld pXRF instrument quickly screens soil samples for heavy metals content, and lets you know whether remediation is recommended.