After the devastating Eaton fire charred their neighborhood, residents in Altadena are left grappling with the implications of potential soil contamination.
Serina Diniega, a planetary scientist, had always dreamed of planting an avocado tree in her yard, but now worries about the safety of doing so.
Even though her house escaped the flames, she fears that harmful contaminants could linger beneath the surface of her property.
“What can I do to keep that tree healthy, hopefully be able to eat the fruit a number of years down the line without worrying about whether or not I’m poisoning my family?” she asked, expressing concerns that resonate with many in the community.
In search of answers, she joined a DIY soil detoxification workshop held at a local nursery.
The workshop, led by SoilWise, attracted significant interest, with around 40 people waitlisted for the three-hour class designed to help residents understand how to fight soil contamination.
The recent wildfires have heightened awareness around soil health, prompting residents to question whether their gardens are safe for their children or if their home-grown produce is safe to eat.
Learning how to utilize plants, compost, and various materials for detoxification has emerged as a source of empowerment for residents faced with concerns about environmental safety and inadequate support from authorities.
Traditionally, the response to contaminated soil involves removing the top layer, with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposing to scrape up to six inches from fire-affected lots.
However, this approach can often overlook large areas of gardens that might still pose risks.
“So that’s not real remediation,” Genesis Sandoval of SoilWise pointed out during the session.
Instead, she urged participants to consider natural remedies to manage contamination.
Using certain plants, minerals, and compost can effectively trap heavy metals like lead, which don’t break down naturally.
Lynn Fang, SoilWise co-founder, discussed how specific plants, such as buckwheat and bush sunflower, have the ability to uptake lead, while saltbush can capture arsenic.
Moreover, aquatic plants like corn, squash, and cucumber can help sequester more complex contaminants, including dioxins.
Another innovative solution, biochar, is known for its porous characteristics that can capture various metals, showing promise in reducing exposure to harmful chemicals like PFAS.
Fungi and microbes also play an essential role, with certain species like oyster mushrooms actively breaking down hydrocarbons and other pollutants.
Workshop participants engaged hands-on to create “ecological filter socks,” mixing materials like oak mulch and crushed oyster shells in burlap sacks.
While the foundational concepts of natural detoxification are straightforward, the intricate details can prove challenging to grasp.
For example, not all zeolites work equally; some are more effective than others in trapping heavy metals.
Once these materials have performed their task, there’s the matter of safely managing them afterward.
The idea of a “sacrificial zone” was introduced, where lead-laden plants could be composted away from edible gardening areas to mitigate risk.
“This is a topic that is becoming more popular, and we’re not really used to soil health being taught or being exposed to in as much depth,” said Maggie Smart-McCabe from SoilWise, highlighting the growing need for comprehensive education on the subject.
Compounding these concerns, federal and state disaster agencies have withheld funding to test soil for contaminants following recent wildfires—a practice commonly employed in previous recoveries.
In response, researchers from USC initiated a free soil testing service for residents in L.A. County, focusing largely on lead, a hazardous neurotoxin especially dangerous to children.
The response has been significant, with around 3,000 samples submitted for analysis.
While many results fall below the state’s potential concern threshold of 80 parts per million, an alarming number still exceed this limit, some even registering in the thousands, which classify as hazardous waste.
Josh West, a professor of earth sciences and environmental studies at USC, noted that lead contamination is particularly problematic in Altadena due to its older housing stock, much of which was painted with lead-based products.
In contrast, residents of Pacific Palisades, who generally have greater financial resources, face different challenges in dealing with soil remediation.
West observed, “The burden that people in Altadena are facing is a much greater proportion of their average income.”
Soil contamination issues in the area did not originate with the wildfires.
Historical emissions from factories and traffic have contributed to the polluted soil across urban regions.
This growing awareness regarding soil health can be attributed to various socio-economic factors, particularly after the fires affected wealthier communities—even as lower-income communities have long dealt with hazardous pollution.
For close to a century, a battery recycling plant emitted heavy metals into the soil of South and East Los Angeles while government responses remained inadequate.
The initiative Prospering Backyards aims to tackle these long-standing issues of contamination by connecting communities with the resources they need.
A recent report indicated that over 80% of soil samples from tested areas were above the 80 ppm lead threshold even years after the plant closed.
Prospering Backyards has pioneered techniques involving zeolites along with mulch and compost layers.
Findings from last year suggested that these methods have effectively lessened exposure to harmful contaminants.
In the wake of the fires, García’s group has developed “healing toolkits” to educate residents on how to combat soil contamination, focusing on both practical solutions and emotional support for those affected.
Workshop attendees frequently expressed feelings of fear and overwhelm in the face of these issues, often grappling with anger and distrust toward institutions that had failed them.
“Many couldn’t put a name to their feelings,” García noted, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach when addressing contamination challenges.
Emotional support was also a key theme at SoilWise’s workshop.
Attendees shared their worries about the safety of their plants and animals, including chickens, which could also accumulate toxins through their diet.
The gathering allowed participants to bond over their shared experiences, transforming their sorrow into a celebration of the resilience of nature.
Diniega reflected on the first bee she spotted in a recovering neighborhood a month after the fire was extinguished, pointing to signs of life amid the destruction.
With some surviving roots rejuvenating, she remains hopeful about the future of her garden.
“It’s a celebration anytime anything comes back,” she said, embodying the community’s spirit of resilience and hope amid trying times.
image source from：latimes
