Soil screening, health, outreach, and partnership or soilSHOP is a community health education program developed by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). As a partner state, Utah DHHS staff work with partner agencies to host soilSHOP events to raise community awareness about lead hazards and how to reduce and prevent lead exposures.

View the soilSHOP FAQ sheet for more information: soilSHOP FAQ Sheet

Collect soil from several spots in the area you want tested. For garden areas, dig 6 inches deep and collect all 6 inches of soil. For play areas, collect soil from about 2 inches deep. Mix soils from all spots in the specific area but keep your garden and play areas separated. Put the sample in a container and remove large debris. (If you want 2 areas tested, you’ll need 2 plastic bags.) If the soil is wet, dry the soil (e.g., leave it in the sun) before you package it in a sealed, clear plastic bag.

How to collect a soil sample video

Once you have collected your soil sample, fill out this registration form to bring to the soilSHOP event. This registration form is to make sure your soil samples are correctly logged.

soilSHOP registration form

The Environmental Epidemiology Program (EEP) will hold a booth at Greenwood Charter School's earth day family night in Harrisville, Utah on Thursday, April 18th, 2024 from 5:30pm-7:30pm. EEP will be collecting soil samples to be analyzed for lead at our soilSHOP in Ogden, Utah (see below), and to hand out health education about the health effects of lead. 

Bring up to three soil samples to find out the concentration of lead in your yard, playground, or garden!

On April 27, 2024 EEP will be partnering with the Weber-Morgan Health Department and the Department of Environmental Quality to host a soilSHOP at the Ogden Botanical Gardens. EEP will be screening soil samples for lead, providing one-on-one consultations of the results, and offering health education on the adverse effects of lead and how to minimize your exposure.

Join us from 10am-2pm and bring up to three soil samples for lead screening!

If you are a local government or a community-based organization and would like to host a soilSHOP in your community, contact us at APPLETREE@utah.gov.

On April 29, 2023, we conducted a soilSHOP at the Utah State University's (USU) Ogden Botanical Gardens "Earth Day Birthday Celebration."

At the USU Ogden Botanical Gardens, we were asked to conduct another soilSHOP at the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District. This soilSHOP took place on June 3, 2023.