Asbestos

I've recently taken on an allotment and part of it has broken bits of asbestos (and glass and plastic) in the ground. I'm going to remove as much as I can but does anyone know if the ground will be safe to plant fruit/veg, or should I stick to plants?

 

if its council owned they mite clean it up for you or give you another one,
its the dust that causes probs when its inhaled, i d be inclined to grow veg in a clean area

 

I doubt that there is a problem. Is the asbestos the corrugated stuff that they use on garage roofs. According to a friend of mine, who is a builder and has a licence to remove and dispose of asbestos - that sort is a mixture of asbestos and cement and poses very little risk. As Lady Gardiner says the problem is when it is inhaled, and that is a pretty inert form. I am only aware of this as I removed an asbestos roof from my garage 18 months ago.

I very much doubt that any asbestos would get in the food chain. I do not see any mechanism by which vegetables would absord the asbestos. I would be far more concerned if one of the neighbouring plot owners was a smoker.

 

I agree Peter, its probably asbestos cement sheeting, which although it comes under the asbestos category there is still masses of it about on rooves etc.
Cant see how plants could ever take it up and cause a problem.

 

Well, if it is going to harm one, it has not happened to us yet and this garden was full of the stuff, from hundreds of shed roofs. (hyperbolic overstatement, but it seems that way to us).

 

Crocidolite - blue asbestos is the really nasty one, but doesn't appear much. The other two forms - white asbestos or chrysotile and brown asbestos or amosite are used in insulation and things like brake linings. If asbestos has been bonded with another material (as in roof panels) it should be fairly safe. Having said that I always use a water spray if I have to saw a sheet.
I used to do a bit of lapidary and often cut and polished a stone called tiger eye agate which is the raw form of crocidolite, but fortunately ( this was before the dangers were known) always cut and polished it either with an oil bathed saw or a water sprayed wheel.
As has been mentioned by the two Peters there is really no chance of plant uptake from an inert mineral and even if it did happen it shouldn't be a health risk. The health risk arises from fibres lodging in the lungs. Although if you start smoking your cabbages........ :rolleyes:

 

lets not go there lol

 

We have a corrugated asbestos roof over our log store. we put it up knowing the scares about asbestos, but the general advise was you were OK as long as you were not going to move it or disturb it.

Do you do cuttings of your cabbages Dave?????????

 

Waco, our cabbages only get cut once and then scoffed.

(I remember my grandfather growing his own baccy (non whacky var.) though) :rolleyes:

 

will have to stick to magic mushrooms then!!!!