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Dealing with Contaminated Soils

Summary

This is from the Guide to Urban Farming in NY. This factsheet outlines both mitigation and remediation strategies for dealing with contaminated soils. Mitigation (coping) strategies involve reducing human exposure to and/or plant availability of contaminants even though they remain in the soil, such as by safe gardening practices and the use of raised beds. Remediation strategies involve removing contaminants, either through biological treatments that break down contaminants, or through physical treatments that remove contaminants that cannot be broken down by biological practices.