Community Soil Sample Drop-Offs

RadWatch Community Soil Sample Collection

Please find instructions for how to submit a soil sample for collection to Radwatch for analysis. Data will be made anonymously public on our website.

SAMPLE SUBMISSION FORM

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En Español!

Submit Sample Collections Maintenance

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Pick up Materials

Please grab a soil sample collection container, we will use these to transport your sample. A simple mask and gloves are used as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), worn while acquiring your sample.

Sample pick-up box at the drop-off location

RadWatch Community Sample Pick-Up box

Please feel free to grab a print out of sample collection instructions for reference to these digital instructions. We ask that these are returned along with the container containing your soil sample.

Collect your Sample

You will need a ruler and some sort of trowel or shovel. Bring your collection materials to your location of interest, and dig a hole.

Geiger counter being used to measure topsoil radioactivity

You can use a hobbyist Geiger Counter to potentially locate a region with higher counts. The topsoil measured here is within the natural background. To learn more, visit our Rad101 page.

Putting on gloves before collecting a soil sample

To prevent ingestion of particulates, use your PPE gloves and mask. Risk is increased due to particles that can be stirred up and become airborne

Clearing leaf cover from the soil surface before sampling

Clear out the section of soil you would like to dig.

Digging a small hole to collect a soil sample

Dig your hole!

Filling the sample container with collected soil

Fill your sample container. You can fill two smaller containers or one larger container, fill the containers to the top.

Measuring the depth of the sample hole

Using a ruler, from the bottom of the hole, measure its depth and take note of it. This example is about 13 cm deep.

 

Fill out our Google Form

Screenshot of the soil sample submission Google Form — open form

Use this form to let us know that you have submitted a soil sample. Please check the email you entered for an ID number. You will need to write down the date and ID of your sample onto a label and place it on the container.

Labeling the soil sample container

An example of a completed sample for collection. Check your email for the ID number. Without it, we cannot track which sample is which. We can use the ID to contact you if we find any anomalies through email or a community partner.

Screenshot of the soil sample ID email

Use the ID from this email sent to you.

Return your Sample

High Purity Germanium Detector

Samples are measured in specialized gamma radiation detectors, more information can be found in the Dosenet sections of our website. Data will be made anonymously public for access on our website.