[Communications] Send us your questions for the CCGA Panel Discussion: Safety of Biosolids & PFAS from a Soil and Plant Perspective

Kara Breems karabreems at gmail.com
Thu Feb 23 13:31:54 CST 2023


here's my qs:

if biosolids have already been applied to a raised bed - is there anything
we can still grow safely?
specifically - can we grow certain vegetables? What about non-edibles, like
annual flowers or perennials?

is there any way to remediate the soil in a garden bed where biosolids have
been applied?

is there any hope for utilizing biosolids in the future? it just seems like
such a good closed loop solution, it's a shame they're not usable!

thank you!

........................
Kara Breems


On Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 11:30 AM Chicago Community Gardeners Association
CCGA <chicommgardeners at gmail.com> wrote:

> [image: PFAS Email reminder-art.png]
> Hello everyone!
>
> We're looking forward to spending time with you this Saturday. It looks
> like we'll have a full house and we're hopeful that this will be an
> informative, lively, and productive panel discussion.
>
> SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS!
> We're collecting questions ahead of time for the panel and will also have
> an open Q & A as time permits. If you'd like to submit a question in
> advance, please reply to this email (chicommgardeners at gmail.com) no later
> than 12pm, tomorrow, Friday, February 24.
>
> EVENT INFO
>
>
>    - *The Hatchery Chicago* is located at 135 N. Kedzie, at the southeast
>    corner of Lake St. and Kedzie Ave, right at the Kedzie Green Line station.
>
>
>    - Checking in: Doors will open by 10am. Enter the front door to the
>    Hatchery building on Kedzie, and you'll see a CCGA check in table.
>
>
>    - Parking: There are a limited number of parking spots in the surface
>    lot off of Albany between Lake St. and Washington Blvd. Free street parking
>    is also available on Lake St. or Washington Blvd.
>
>
>    - Beverages & Snacks: We’ll have some coffee and tea available. Please
>    bring your own water or another beverage, as well as any snacks you may
>    need.
>
>
>    - *Agenda:* At 10:30, we'll start off with some introductions, then
>    each of the panelists will give a short presentation. Afterward, we will
>    start the Q&A session with the questions you've submitted, and then open
>    the floor for more questions and discussion.
>
>
>    - *Questions?* If you have any questions or need assistance, please
>    reply to this email (chicommgardeners at gmail.com)
>
>
> MEET THE PANELISTS
>
>
>    - Dr. Dominic Brose is a Senior Environmental Research Scientist at the
>     Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD)
>    <https://mwrd.org/>. His specializations are in biosolids, soil
>    chemistry, statistics, and risk assessment. Prior to the MWRD, Dr. Brose
>    was with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and
>    ToxServices, LLC in Washington, D.C. Dr. Brose received his B.S. from
>    Purdue University and Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.
>
>
>    - Nance Klehm has been working in bioremediation for over 10 years and
>    has been an ecological systems designer, landscaper, horticultural
>    consultant, and agroecological grower for more than three decades. Her
>    approach is centered on instigating change by activating already existent
>    communities, and her work demonstrates her lifelong commitment to
>    redefining the way human populations coexist with plant and animal systems
>    on this planet. She is the founder and director of operations of Social
>    Ecologies <https://socialecologies.net/social-ecologies/>, which
>    creates durational projects that aim to build healthy habitat and
>    interaction through direct engagement of place with those who dwell there.
>    She recently launched The Soil Keepers Community Training Program
>    <https://socialecologies.net/cms/social-ecologies/the-soil-keepers/>,
>    which endeavors to build a network of soil advocates who are equipped with
>    the knowledge and skills to create social ecologies that are resilient to
>    the challenges of the 21st century.
>
>
>    - Dr. Andrew Margenot is an Assistant Professor in the University of
>    Illinois Crop Sciences <https://cropsciences.illinois.edu/>. His
>    research interests include urban agriculture and soil- organic matter and
>    enzymes. His team evaluates how human activities can enhance or compromise
>    soil services to human societies, with an emphasis on food security from
>    urban and rural agro-ecosystems in the U.S. Midwest and East Africa. His
>    work advances how we monitor and manage soils as natural capital.
>
>
>    - Mariyana Spyropoulos was elected to the Metropolitan Water
>    Reclamation District <https://mwrd.org/> Board of Commissioners in
>    2010, serving as Board President from 2015-19. Mariyana emphasizes
>    community outreach and engagement by speaking to community groups
>    throughout Cook County about water, good government, and environmental
>    issues. In 2017, she received both the Illinois Water Environment
>    Association Public Official Award and the Spirit of the River Award from
>    Friends of the Chicago River.
>
>
>    - Jennifer Walling is the Executive Director at Illinois Environmental
>    Council <https://ilenviro.org/>, where she has served since January of
>    2011. She oversees the strategic direction and management of the
>    organization and lobbies decision makers on environmental issues. Jen is
>    dedicated to building the power of Illinois’ environmental community to
>    secure policy outcomes that protect the environment.
>
>
>    - May Toy* (moderator) *is the President of the Skinner Park Advisory
>    Council <https://www.skinnerpark.org/> and a member of the CCGA
>    Advocacy & Outreach and Resources & Distributions teams. She has been a
>    community gardener for over 25 years. As president of the Skinner Park
>    Advisory Council, she led efforts to help build and restore three community
>    gardens: two in Skinner Park and another on a closed section of Loomis
>    Street. May is also active in her community and is an advocate of public
>    parks, open spaces, and community safety. She volunteers her time to serve
>    as Neighbors of West Loop’s Vice President and Chair of the Parks and Open
>    Space Committee to work on park issues and concerns in the West Loop as
>    well as on the 12th District’s Police Advisory Council.
>
>
>
> [image: PFAS-Diagram.png]
>
> A large variety of plant species can take up PFASs from the environment.
> Vegetables and grains are the most commonly investigated crops, with
> perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) as
> the most studied PFASs. The potential sources of PFASs for plant uptake
> include industrial emissions, irrigation with contaminated water, land
> application of biosolids, leachates from landfill sites, and pesticide
> application. Image credit & Source
> <https://chicagocommunitygardens.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0&id=31976b2ea9&e=042c64c038>
>
>
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