I used some lowe's topsoil that contains fly ash and top soil mixed to together to fill in some low spots. It is very very cheap only about $1.00 per 40 lb bag.  Is there danger some of the Arsenic from the fly ash could get into the figs?  I cannot believe it is legal to sell contaminated topsoil containing fly ash!  I do not know the percentage fly ash in this soil and hope it is low.

Hi JCA,
I never heard of fly ash. What is it actually.?

Fly ash is the waste product from coal combustion.  It is concentrated in waste and contains heavy metals like Arsenic and Mercury.

I would assume it would. Most chemicals can be taken up by plants. I know fly ash is considered hazardous waste.

This is an interesting topic. Back a few years ago there was this thing with Milorganite that had to do with waste from the milwauky sanitary sites and it was proving that it contain large quantities of hazurdoes stuff for vegateble gardening but o.k for flower and others.

It depends on the mobility of ions in the soil.  Usually heavy ions complex so they become stable in the soil matrix.  But if the conditions favour for its mobility (acidic conditions) the roots of the pants will take it up with time.

Usually longer lived plants tend to have higher concentrations due to their long lived nature

George

This is an important issue because Arsenic and Mercury are very very toxic to people and animals.  I do not think that this is going to be a big problem for me because the fly ash is likely a small percentage of the top soil and did not use more than 400 lbs of top soil. I would rather not have any fly ash in my soil though if possible.  This is proof that is better to pay more for better soil.

Fruit is usually a very active part of a plant because it is the focus of the plant (reproduction), and as I understand it, that focus is expressed metabolically by allowing many things (chemicals) to be transported  by the plant to the fruit. Not unlike the susceptibility of pregnant mothers and their babies to many different chemical and the current recommendations to pregnant mothers to avoid alcohol, many drugs, etc. In fruit, you may not see deformity, but the harmful chemicals are channeled to the fruit and "stored" there.

You want to be very careful where you get your compost or anything else you add to your food garden soil, as the food chain is a soil to plant to human cycle.

You can have your soil tested for specific elements if you have specific concerns.

We did this before buying our property, and found our soil was pure except for a small trace of lead that appears anywhere there has been long-term gas powered farming or traffic, but at levels so low they are perfectly safe and unavoidable in the post-industrial world.

If it's too late, consider a new bed in a safer location.  There is also some research on plants that help to draw toxins out of the soil.

Why is anybody/company/process allowed to include/distribute-all-over

I had a very fun experience with mulch that apparently had weedkiller in it and i didn't realize it.

I wound up having to throw away beds of veggies and toss out a whole gaggle of soil.

Government composting programs took in grass clippings from golf courses which used clopyralid herbicide and which did not biodegrade. It didn't bother too many things, but really stunted tomatoes. Been fixed now.