The soil is the very ground that we stand on, however we are continually polluting it through a wide array of methods.Land pollution has become one of the biggest problems in the world. It is so widespread that it has been responsible for water pollution, contaminating drinking water sources.The soil is one of the most significant elements of the natural world that the Earth possesses. It is a source that not only allows us to grow our food, but is also home to so much of life. Thousands of species of organisms have made the soil their home. It is also the home of the varied plant life that exists on Earth. Apart from being the home of different living organisms, soil also contains many minerals and elements that are hard to find elsewhere. These elements are found in ores, such as bauxite, which is the ore from which aluminium is extracted.If you liked this article about soil pollution facts, why not take a look at these articles about beach pollution facts and air pollution facts on Kidadl!Sources Of Land PollutionThere are various sources of land pollution that surpass the amount of contaminants that the soil can handle and hold. This is a specific section of environmental pollution which must be addressed and people must be aware of the harmful chemicals that cause contaminated soil.Soil in its natural untouched state contains several different types of compounds. These often include compounds that are contaminants or waste. There are several different ways that soil degradation takes place and soil contaminants enter soil. One of the most prominent sources are industries. Industries and manufacturing plants have been at the heart of solid wastes being dumped into landfills and the waste generated in these industries is disposed of.Industrial waste is a large problem because the hazardous waste produced is subject to improper disposal. Waste materials in industrial waste contain toxic materials that seep into soil and cause pollution. Toxic pollution causes great environmental risks to the surrounding area, destroying the natural environment. The amount of waste globally adds to pollution, and places the natural process at risk.Governments have been seen to create several different ways of not only combatting this form of soil pollution, but other forms such as air pollution and water pollution by creating several laws and regulating industries. One of the more prominent solutions is pollution permits. The aim of pollution permits is to give firms a certain limit up to which they are allowed to pollute. The catch is that if a firm is able to keeps its waste products to a minimum, it can sell its excess pollution permits to other firms and gain the extra money. Eventually, governments reduced the number pollution permits given and gradually the problem of waste dumping was brought to a close. The problem with pollution permits is that they are relatively cheap to buy, so it does not make as much of a cost difference to a firm.Another way in which soil pollution occurs is acid rain. Contaminants in acid rain make their way into soil. Acid rain brings up aluminium in soil, which can be toxic to plants located in soil, as well as animals in the ecosystem. Waste pollution also takes place through land fills. Waste is broadly termed under the umbrella of municipal solid waste or hazardous waste. Municipal solid waste contains a different number of waste such as garbage, rubbish, and trash.Garbage contains decomposable and moist waste such as food waste from homes and other places. An additional term for this is also organic waste. Rubbish is made up of dryer materials such as wood, textiles, paper, and plastic waste. Furthermore, this form of waste may also contain debris with materials such as concrete rubble, asphalt, and other metal objects. That brings us to hazardous waste.Hazardous waste is known to contain dangerous, toxic materials that exist as liquids for the majority of the time, but have also been known to exist in a form of solid waste. This form of waste comes as liquids, solids, and sludges from companies that produce chemicals, smelters, automobile repair shops, as well as petroleum refineries.This form of waste pollution through landfills has been a large contributor to the damage that occurs to the land surface. Even though regulation exists that prohibits landfills being created in areas with soil that has a higher level of permeability, the monitoring and upholding of these laws has been a thing of controversy in the past. A more rigorous system must be put into place that reduces the usage of landfills, and better encourages the use of recycled materials.Effects On Soil After Land PollutionLand pollution has devastating effects on soil. It is important to remember that land pollution largely occurs due to man-made objects.One of the most adverse effects of solid waste on soil is the damage it does to the ecosystem around it. The balance of the ecosystem is in question due to soil pollution. Land pollution sees the chemistry of soil change extremely rapidly, and plants are not able to respond to this and adapt to the newer compounds in soil.Soil erosion also becomes a problem to deal with. The problem of soil erosion occurs due to the presence of bacteria and fungi that are present in soil. Other effects of land pollution will be mentioned later on in this article.Agriculture And Soil PollutionAgriculture has been at the forefront of human activities in the world, perhaps one of the founding blocks of civilisations that have existed at any point of time.Agriculture provides us with food and a sustainable base for an economy. It has a dual role, one in causing soil pollution, and another in being affected by soil pollution. First, we will discuss how agriculture has become a contributing factor in land pollution and has been causing land pollution globally. The growing need for crops and food has been evident all over the world. An average person requires food to live.In this rapidly rising need of food being needed quicker, farmers have resorted to using chemical fertilizers. A chemical fertilizer contains a range of synthesized compounds that are meant to increase the crop yield during a harvest. In theory, they are supposed to replenish the minerals that are used up in soil at a faster rate, but they have side effects that lead to land pollution.This drive to use chemical fertilizers has accelerated land pollution as chemicals from these fertilizers enter soil after being mixed with water. These fertilizers contain chemicals that are synthetically produced, meaning chemicals that are not produced in nature. Soil is not able to break this down and land pollution occurs. This is why chemical fertilizers are heavily regulated in the market, because they provide benefit of increased yield of crops at the cost of land pollution.The effects of land pollution on soil are massive, and have larger implications in the world that we live in today. Land pollution caused by the usage of pesticides and other fertilizers may render soil less fertile. This means that the crop grown gives a lower yield, as well as reducing the quality of harvest. This poses a larger threat to supermarkets around the world as the demand for food and crops is one that does not go away. In a period of unforeseen event such as the COVID-19 pandemic, having food stores that will be plenty for everyone is important to the continued existence of human activities.The conclusion to draw here is that the use of pesticides and fertilizers should be reduced to combat the health risks they pose to soil. Proper usage does indeed help soil in a way, but excess will poison and start to kill soil. Sustainable farming practices should be encouraged to maintain the pH levels of soil, and reduce the risk of water pollution as well.Animals And Soil PollutionIt is important to note that animal excrements are not causes of land pollution. Animal waste is in fact useful to soil and acts as a form of natural fertilizer. They are seen to increase the fertility of soil.Land pollution has a larger impact on the whole ecosystem. Living in this ecosystem are animals. For a large proportion of these animals, plants grown in soil are their only sources of food. So how does it affect all animals then? The answer to that is understood through the food chain. Contaminants make their way through the food chain and make their way to the higher levels of the food chain, and consumed by larger animals.Land pollution may be indirectly responsible for the depleting numbers of a range of animal species. Additionally, land pollution is responsible for the deaths of organisms living in soil such as earthworms. The death of these organisms will lead to a change in the very structure of soil.Health Implications Of Soil PollutionIt is a no-brainer that the pollution of soil is going to have negative effects on human health, since soil is essentially what sustains us.The effects of land pollution on humans are massive. The pollution of soil is largely absorbed by the plants and crops that are planted in soil. These crops are later consumed by humans. Additionally, consumption over a longer period of time will cause cases of food poisoning. Consuming food that has been grown in polluted soil is seen to alter the genetic make-up of the body over long periods. This will result in chronic health problems and congenital illnesses.To better understand the implications, we must know how contaminated soil can get into our bodies. The first way of soil getting into a human body is through ingestion. Children may accidentally eat soil while playing in it. If it is not polluted, it should not pose much of a threat. Soil can also be ingested if vegetables that come into the house are not washed properly before being cooked.Additionally, drinking water may also be a way of consuming polluted soil, if your water supply is contaminated. One thing to remember if you grow your vegetables in your garden, the soil should be made safe from contamination. Another way that contaminated soil can enter your body is through dust particles. Human activities such as construction or mining work may cause soil to become airborne through dust. This leaves us vulnerable to breathing in this polluted soil.Thirdly, soil can enter our body through the skin. This does not occur on direct contact with soil, but takes place when coming from compounds used for other purposes, such as creosote, which is used to preserve wood. Upon making contact, the chemicals may be able to leach out of the wood and onto your skin. The affected area will be visible as blisters may occur.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked reading these soil pollution facts then why not take a look at coal pollution facts, or car pollution facts.
The soil is the very ground that we stand on, however we are continually polluting it through a wide array of methods.
