I have shown that: (1) Sodic soils, sodic materials, or mixtures of soil and sodic materials having high SAR values that are detrimental to soil performance and which may also exceed published regulatory threshold levels can, by means of treatment with chelating agents that cause release of calcium and magnesium, be ameliorated so that SAR values fall to non-detrimental levels, without at the same time causing unsuitable increase in salinity (EC). (2) Permeability of sodic soil markedly improved after treatment with chelating agents. (3) Using the synthetic chelating agent EDTA, the low SAR values of treated sodic materials were persistent. (4) EDTA added to sodic, alkaline drilling cuttings did not decompose during a test using conditions simulating actual drilling. (5) Sodic soil treated with EDTA was non-toxic in the Microtox.TM. bioassay.