What is Land Pollution?
The degradation of the earth’s land surfaces, both above and below ground level, is referred to as land pollution. The accumulation of solid and liquid waste products, which contaminate groundwater and soil, is the cause. The greater the permeability of the soil, the greater the risk of land contamination.
Read the full article of Pritish Kumar Halder, in which he describes such ways to reduce Land Pollution.
Causes
Soil pollution is a form of land pollution in which the soil’s upper layer is harmed. Overuse of chemical fertilizers, soil degradation caused by running water, and other pest control measures contribute to the loss of agricultural land, forest cover, and grazing pastures, among other things. For more information about how to reduce land pollution please visit Pritish Kumar Halder
Various Causes of Land Pollution are listed below.
Agricultural Activities
As animal production grows, it becomes decoupled from crop production, causing normal nutrient cycles between plants, soil, and animals to be severely disrupted, resulting in the widespread use of synthetic herbicides, insecticides, bactericides, and fertilizers, all of which contribute to pollution.
Mining Activities
This activity has the potential to pollute the air and water supply, damage biodiversity and ecosystems, and permanently alter natural landscapes. Mining harms the ecosystem by destroying habitats, causing soil erosion, and polluting surface water, groundwater, and soil.
Urbanization
Intensive urbanization will exacerbate poverty by preventing local municipalities from providing services to all residents. Increased air pollution from concentrated energy usage has a direct effect on human health. Lead levels in urban air are elevated as a result of automobile emissions.
Nuclear Waste
The soil is also contaminated by radioactive waste from nuclear research stations and nuclear power plants, as well as radioactive fallout from nuclear explosions. Since radioactive materials have a long half-life, they can survive in the soil for long periods.
Land Pollution Effects
Toxic waste and contaminants can be ingested by people. Disposal of hazardous radioactive wastes also contributes to land contamination. Chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart disease, and even brain damage are all long-term health consequences.
Various Effects of Land Pollution are listed below.
Climate Change
Land contamination, such as that caused by mining, farming, and factories, may allow harmful chemicals to enter the soil and water. These chemicals have the potential to kill animals and plants, destroying the food chain. Landfills emit methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
Acid Rain
Forests, especially those at higher elevations, are also harmed by acid rain and fog. Acid deposits deplete vital nutrients like calcium and allow aluminum to be released into the soil, making it difficult for trees to absorb water. Acids also damage the leaves and needles of trees.
Deterioration of fields
A chain reaction occurs as a result of soil contamination. It alters soil biodiversity, decreases soil organic matter, and reduces soil’s filtering ability. It also contaminates water contained in the soil and groundwater, resulting in nutrient imbalances in the soil.
Respiratory health problems
Air pollution can irritate your airways, causing shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks, and chest pain. Lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and, in the worst-case scenario, premature death are all risks associated with air pollution exposure.
Ways to reduce land pollution
Recycle and Reuse
Recycle and reuse resources whenever possible reduces waste, cuts land pollution, and saves you money. According to DoSomething.org, recycling averted the dumping of 85 million tons of material in 2010. In line with such statistics, the Environmental Protection Agency encourages you to recycle available resources to reduce soil pollution and minimize the cost of buying raw materials and managing waste. Local and state-sponsored materials and wastes exchanges can help you do this.
Avoidance of Chemicals
The Department of Agriculture encourages farmers to use biological pest control methods rather than using pesticides. The use of natural pest control methods reduces soil toxicity. For example, you could release parasitic and predatory insects, such as certain nematodes and lacewings, as a natural means of controlling insect pests in your garden or farm. Other ways to minimize pollution include the use of animal manures instead of inorganic fertilizers, which avoids overloading the soil with nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus that are found in “conventional” inorganic fertilizers.
/simplewaysreduceplastic-f00ea500309f480eba442b4cb9b7bc73.png)
Reduce Waste
You can reduce your footprint in terms of land pollution, and reduce your overall impact on the planet, by using resources sparingly to minimize waste. By conserving available resources, you can help to reduce the amount of waste disposed of in landfills; this decomposing waste produces toxic gases and liquids, such as methane and leachate. In addition, waste can lead to littering when people fail to implement proper waste management practices. According to the Department of Energy, you can also minimize pollution by practicing judicious use of nonrenewable resources, such as oil and gasoline.
Buy Organic Products
To Buy non-chemical products is one of the easiest ways to minimize pollution in the soil. Organic food is produced without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides that are often used in to get favorable results in conventional agriculture. If more people buy organic products the demand for nonorganic food will decline, which means less reason and opportunity to use those fertilizers and pesticides that contribute to land pollution.
