Did you know that lead in soil can affect your health, your family, and your garden? Join us for an evening workshop where we’ll break down what you need to know about soil safety, how to reduce risk around your home and garden, and what steps you can take to protect your family and community.
Bring a soil sample from your yard and we’ll test it for lead on the spot, at no cost to you!
How to collect your soil sample before the event:
Collecting a sample is simple. Here’s what to do:
- Pick a spot in your yard, like a garden bed, a play area, or anywhere you want tested.
- For larger areas, collect soil from 5-10 different spots within that area and combine them. For smaller areas, 3 spots will do. Spread your collection points out randomly rather than collecting in rows or close clusters. For garden areas, dig down 6-8 inches per spot. For play areas and non-garden spaces, collect from the surface down to 1-2 inches.
- Mix everything together in a clean container, then remove any pebbles, rocks, or roots.
- Let the soil air dry completely. Do not use a flame or oven to dry it.
- Transfer 1-2 cups of the mixed soil into a clean quart-size zip-top plastic bag. You can bring up to 3 sample bags per person.
Need a visual walkthrough? Check out the guide below, or watch this step-by-step soil sampling video before you come.
This workshop is especially relevant for:
- Gardeners and urban growers
- Families with young children
- Residents in homes built before 1978
- Anyone curious about soil safety and environmental health in their neighborhood
This event is free and open to the community.
This workshop is presented by Roots 2Empower, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and Southside Community Land Trust, three Providence-based organizations working together to advance environmental health, food justice, and community resilience across Rhode Island.
