Improving Urban Soils and Sustainable Infrastructure In the Greater Chicago Using Biosolids.

Urban community gardening is increasing in popularity throughout the United States. However, until recently, an understanding of soil quality, processes and functions and methods to assess sustainable use of urban soils have received little attention.  Urban soils may consist of many heterogenic layers of materials ranging from fine textured to extremely coarse materials, lack nutrients to support plant growth, and are often contaminated with heavy metals and priority pollutants.  Gardening on these soils may result in translocation of these pollutants into food chain through uptake by plants.  The presence of lead, arsenic, and chlorinated herbicides in urban soils is an issue that has received the attention of the media in many big cities. Adding biosolids rich in iron, aluminum, phosphates, manganese and organic matter to urban soils would not only reduce bioavailability of heavy metals and priority pollutants but also improve fertility and soil tilth to make these soils more suitable for gardening.  In addition, biosolids are the most economical and effective green option for topdressing turf in green spaces like athletic fields, ball parks, and golf courses in the urban communities where most of the biosolids are produced and can provide tangible benefits to urban communities in improving the local green infrastructures.  This presentation will provide information about risk assessment, local research, and other activities done in Chicago to promote the use of biosolids for the improvement of green infrastructure in the Chicagoland area.