Centuries of mining in the Spessart have poisoned the soil and water.

Arsenic, lead and other harmful heavy metals were transported to the surface of the earth as a result of ore mining in the municipality of Biebergemünd.

The high water from the Schwarzbach and the Bieber river carried and distributed the pollutants.

The regional council in Darmstadt has had the contamination with arsenic and heavy metals, which has been known for several years, examined in detail in a study.

The focal points of this analysis were children's playgrounds, amusement parks and fields.

These areas were given special consideration in the soil samples.

Jan Schiefenhoevel

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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The soil in the mining area near the districts of Bieber and Roßbach is polluted.

Pollutants were also detected in the Lochborn von Bieber nature reserve.

In addition, contaminated soil was washed down the valley by the high water of the Bieber river to its floodplains near Lanzingen, Kassel and Wirtheim.

According to the regional council, the valley floodplains of the Schwarzbach are also largely contaminated with the toxic substances.

The water from these two bodies of water and other streams is also believed to be polluted.

Arsenic and heavy metals have even been found in sewers.

As a consequence of the investigation, the authority is now warning the residents of Biebergemünd about the vegetables from their gardens.

Arsenic is deposited in roots and stems in greater quantities than in leaves and fruits, as the regional council explains.

The authority advises no longer growing kale, spinach leaves, endive, lettuce, chard and celery in the affected areas.

Cucumbers and zucchini should be thoroughly washed or peeled.

Fruit from trees and bushes, such as currants or apples, can be eaten without hesitation.

All useful plants that thrive on purchased topsoil or in tubs with unpolluted potting soil are also harmless.

Hobby gardeners should wear gloves when working in the garden or wash their hands thoroughly afterwards.

The garden should be watered so that less dust is blown away.

Clothing and shoes with soil stuck to them should not be taken into living quarters.

The water from the Bieber, the Schwarzbach and other streams may not be used to water the garden or to fill paddling pools.

There is also a warning for parents: small children can be exposed to pollutants when they play outside and put dirt in their mouths, as the regional council further reports.

Playing on dense grass, on the other hand, is harmless, as is the sandpit if it is filled with clean play sand.

There is no danger on public playgrounds because the subsoil has been replaced.

Before building a house, builders must find out from the municipality, the district administration or the regional council about the load on their property.

In some cases a survey of the soil by a surveyor or remediation of the soil may be necessary.

During construction work, such as excavation, there is a risk of pollutants entering the body through the skin, through inhalation or through ingestion of dust.

Building owners must inform their construction companies of the danger.

Mining and smelting of the ores in this area date back at least to the 15th century.

In the 18th century iron, silver, cobalt and copper slate were mined.

Iron and manganese were mined until it was closed in 1925.

The main mining area was today's Lochborn nature reserve.

The ores were melted down and smelted mainly in the town of Bieber.