There is prolly some truth to that. I find it strange that ive never seen a city that did free garden plots for people, its always community funded/ran.

But, I sure as hell wouldnt grow my garden next to a busy road. Its crazy, I see people all the time in the city walking their 9 month old baby in a stroller down a street with about 300 cars a hour passing by them. Like jesus christ I wish I could explain to these people.

Theres a youtube video where cody from cody's lab actually calculates how much platinum is being shed by your exhaust and catalytic converter, i can only imagine things like lead and arsenic.

Contamination of plants and soil

Soil can be contaminated from former land uses or by the introduction of new contaminants from nearby roads or other sources. Soil and plants can also become contaminated by airborne contaminants, such as soil dust or soil back-splash when it rains or when you water.

To protect your garden from contaminants:

*Do not garden or grow food close to busy roads.

*Cover areas of exposed soil with mulch, grass or other groundcover to keep down soil dust and tracking soil elsewhere and into the home on shoes or clothing.

*Use clean soil. Do not repot soil from land that is known to be contaminated or of unknown quality.

*If you are growing food, water plants using drinkable water. For other plants, use water that is clean. Collected rainwater being used to water plants should be stored in a clean container and it should not be contaminated by roof materials, animal droppings, or other pollutants.

You can be exposed to contaminants directly from soil (i.e., from unwashed hands or by eating unwashed produce) or by eating food that has been grown in contaminated soil. Be aware of ways food grown in your garden can be contaminated and don't consume it unless you are sure if it is safe to eat.

Whats a few more brain cells though. Surprised the citys dont encourage it rofl.

In ohio, they also use fracking waste water to "salt" the roads.

Processed brine waste from oil and natural gas drilling could raise levels of radium — a radioactive metallic element found in the brine — in soil and groundwater when spread on winter roads, environmentalists warn.