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Land Pollution Copy Mine
Land Pollution Copy Mine
Land pollution refers to all forms of pollution affecting any type of soil:
agricultural, forestry, urban, etc. Soil pollution is a disruptive element for
many biological resources and ecosystems.
A soil is polluted when it contains an abnormal concentration of chemical
compounds potentially dangerous to human health, plants or animals.
Also known as LAND DEGRADATION.
3. Industrial Waste
These are normally generated from agricultural produce processors, oil
refineries, pharmaceuticals, construction sites, and energy producing power
plants.
For example, power plants release chemical wastes and dispose them in
landfills. These include coal, petroleum, and nuclear wastes. Construction sites,
on the other hand, produce wood, metal, and plastic wastes, which make their
way into landfills.
4. URBANIZATION
It is another source of land degradation. The artificialisation of soils can cause a
rapid and consequent carbon depletion, which contributes to climate change.
Besides, it fragments natural habitats, ecosystems and landscape, affecting
biodiversity
5. Deforestation
It is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to
non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms,
ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated deforestation occurs in tropical
rainforests.
6. Mining
The extraction of materials and ores from under the Earth’s surface also
contributes to land pollution
Mining degrades the quality of land. These include the extraction of metals, oil,
coal, stones, stand, and mineral ores such as gold. When mining or quarrying,
you normally have to clear the land surface and drill huge manholes and pits.
ON WILDLIFE
o As land pollution and soil erosion progress, animals are forced to shift
habitats and adapt to new conditions. As a result, some species are at risk
of extinction.
ON HUMAN HEALTH
o The potential effects of soil contamination on human health include
breathing disorders, birth defects, skin diseases, and cancer.
o Globally, 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. The
toxic chemicals can reach our body through foods and vegetables that we
eat as they are grown in polluted soil.
o Land pollution also caused developmental deficiency in children.
Chemicals, such as lead that are commonly found in contaminated soil
and water, can impact a child’s cognitive development even when the
exposure is very low.
OTHER ISSUES
Other issues that we face include increased temperature, unseasonal
weather activity, acid rains, etc. The discharge of chemicals on land makes it
dangerous for the ecosystem too.
These chemicals are consumed by the animals and plants and thereby
making their way in the ecosystem. This process is called bio
magnification and is a serious threat to the ecology.
2. Green Agriculture
Sustainable agriculture is essential as it is meant to control the impact on the
cultivated environment, by minimizing the external contributions (phytosanitary
products), by diversifying the cultures and by using biological treatments.
BOTTOMLINE
Land pollution is a serious global issue today. It has adverse effects on
human and other life forms around the world. It is caused largely by
human activities such as agriculture, mining, industrialization,
deforestation, and improper disposal of non-biodegradable domestic
waste.