What Is Soil Contamination: Its Causes, Effects, and Solutions

 🔹 What is Soil Contamination?

* Soil contamination refers to the destruction of land that could be used constructively by human activities, either directly or indirectly. Presently, 300,000 ha of UK land is thought to be contaminated by toxic elements such as lead and arsenic. The same goes for the other industrialized nations, which are the worst hit. The developing countries are also steadily but surely moving toward this direction.This   should because for great concern considering the devastating effects soil pollution brings to the environment.

 🔹 Causes of Soil Contamination

* Soil pollution is mostly caused by mindless human activities such as:

 ▪️ Industrial waste

* Industries are by far the worst polluters of the soil with all the chemicals they release into the environment be it in liquid or solid form.

 ▪️ Deforestation

* Clearing of trees leaves soil exposed to the elements, so they are easily carried away by soil erosion. This leaves land barren and incapable of supporting vegetation.

 ▪️ Excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides

* The increased demand for food has forced farmers to use fertilisers and pesticides that release nothing but toxins into the soil, killing useful microorganisms that are important in plant growth.

 ▪️ Garbage pollution

* Garbage that cannot be recycled is disposed of carelessly and this is not only an eyesore but pollutes the land. Some of this waste can literally take thousands of years to decompose!

 🔹 Effects of Soil Contamination

 ▪️ Climate change

* Deforestation causes a change in the rain cycle, and this is a contributing factor to global warming and loss of ecosystems.

 ▪️ Loss of soil fertility

* With the rapid growth of human population, we need all the food we can get. Chemicals used on soils reduce soil fertility so food production drops.

 ▪️ Impact on human health

* Countless deaths have been caused by human beings ingesting foods that are grown in toxic soils.

 🔹 How to Reduce Soil Contamination

 ▪️ Reforestation

* Most countries have policies that require its citizens to plant more trees where one has been cut. This is an effective measure to curb soil erosion. Governments should also take punitive action against those who cut down trees without a care in the world.

 ▪️ Controlled farming practices

* Too much of anything is dangerous. The same concept applies to farming practices in that they should be carried out in moderation. Practices such as over cropping and overgrazing should be avoided since they increase soil erosion.

 ▪️ Bioremediation

* This is the introduction of microorganisms into the soil that break down contaminants. This is a perfectly environmental friendly approach since it allows nature to take its course, thus restoring balance.

 ▪️ Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse

* Items that can be used again should not be disposed of; things made of paper, glass, aluminum and the like should be recycled; lastly, where excesses such as the use of polythene paper can be avoided, then, by all means, reduce their use.

 ▪️ Use biodegradable products

* Where possible, opt to use biodegradable products such as cartons for packaging; if they were to be disposed of, they would easily be broken down to become part of the soil.

 ▪️ Reduce the use of pesticides and fertilisers

* Pesticides and fertilisers are major contributors to soil contamination, so cutting down on their usage could do a world of good to the soil.

* We have one earth and if we completely destroy its surface, we will be the first to starve or poison ourselves. Redeeming land to its original state is nearly an impossible task. It’ll require altering its properties, which can be avoided if only we put our land into its proper and responsible use.

Written by Hashfar