Project Highlight: Public Communication
Gardening in Lead-Contaminated Soil
Client: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Anniston, Alabama, is a small community in the northeast region of the state.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has been involved in the Anniston community since the mid-90s due to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead contamination of the local environment.
One of the chief health concerns in Anniston is the potential exposure of residents to these contaminants through gardening activities.
Working with different community groups and organizations, ORISE assisted ATSDR in developing gardening-related educational materials and outreach activities.
ORISE trained local master gardeners to prepare them to answer the public's questions concerning the risk from soil contamination in home gardens and also developed an activity book for children focused on safe gardening and nutrition.
