Right next to Airport Bremen, a test plot with kale for baby food is in use, German newspaper 'Bild' is reporting on its website. The vegetable has until mid-November to grow. Then it's harvest time. The plants are being used for biomonitoring. Dettmar Dencker (62), head of environmental management at the airport: "After harvest, the kale is analysed in a laboratory for any harmful substances from aircraft emissions. The plants are very suitable for this, since they have large leaves that absorb a lot from the air." The kale plants were planted in plastic boxes, in soil that doesn't contain harmful substances, rather than directly in the ground, in order for the results to be reliable.
The study's sponsor is from the Netherlands: the idea is for Lelystad airport to be expanded. But because the airport is surrounded by fields used for the cultivation of baby food, this test is now performed at an airport of similar size. After the harvest, the plants are examined for heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and chromium.