Land Pollution

Pollution is the process that introduces contaminants into the environment, which in turn causes the instability of the ecosystem, including both the physical aspects and the living organisms. There are three types of pollution namely land pollution, air pollution and water pollution. Land pollution basically is about contaminating the land surface of the earth through dumping urban waste matter indiscriminately, dumping of industrial waste, mineral exploitation, and misusing the soil by harmful agricultural practices. Pollution includes visible litter and waste along with the soil itself being polluted. The soil gets polluted by the chemicals in pesticides and herbicides used for agricultural purposes along with waste matter being littered in urban areas such as roads, parks, and streets.

Land Pollutants Comprise: Solid Waste and Soil Pollution

Solid Waste
Semisolid or solid matter that are created by human or animal activities, and which are disposed because they are hazardous or useless are known as solid waste. Most of the solid wastes, like paper, plastic containers, bottles, cans, and even used cars and electronic goods are not biodegradable, which means they do not get broken down through inorganic or organic processes. Thus, when they accumulate they pose a health threat to people, plus, decaying wastes also attract household pests and result in urban areas becoming unhealthy, dirty, and unsightly places to reside in. Moreover, it also causes damage to terrestrial organisms, while also reducing the uses of the land for other, more useful purposes. Some of the sources of solid waste that cause soil pollution are:

• Wastes from Agriculture: This comprises waste matter produced by crop, animal manure, and farm residues.
• Wastes from Mining: Piles of coal refuse and heaps of slag.
• Wastes from Industries: Industrial waste matter that can cause land pollution can include paints, chemicals, and so on.
• Solids from Sewage Treatment: Wastes that are left over after sewage has been treated, biomass sludge, and settled solids.
• Ashes: The residual matter that remains after solid fuels are burned.
• Garbage: This comprises waste matter from food that are decomposable and other waste matter that are not decomposable such as glass, metal, cloth, plastic, wood, paper, and so on.

Soil Pollution
Soil pollution is chiefly caused by chemicals in pesticides, such as poisons that are used to kill agricultural pests like insects and herbicides that are used to get rid of weeds. Hence, soil pollution results from:

• Unhealthy methods of soil management.
• Harmful practices of irrigation methods.

Land pollution is caused by farms because they allow manure to collect, which leaches into the nearby land areas. Chemicals that are used for purposes like sheep dipping also cause serious pollution as do diesel oil spillages.

What are the Consequences of Land Pollution?

Land or soil pollution can affect wildlife, plants, and humans in a number of ways, such as:

• Cause problems in the respiratory system
• Cause problems on the skin
• Lead to birth defects
• Cause various kinds of cancers

The toxic materials that pollute the soil can get into the human body directly by:

1. Coming into contact with the skin
2. Being washed into water sources like reservoirs and rivers
3. Eating fruits and vegetables that have been grown in polluted soil
4. Breathing in polluted dust or particles

How can Land Pollution be Prevented?

• People should be educated and made aware about the harmful effects of littering
• Items used for domestic purposes ought to be reused or recycled
• Personal litter should be disposed properly
• Organic waste matter should be disposed in areas that are far away from residential places
• Inorganic matter such as paper, plastic, glass and metals should be reclaimed and then recycled

It has become the need of the hour to protect the earth from the harmful effects of pollution, so that the generations to come will be able to a live a decently healthy life. Every individual will have to take the onus on himself and work towards bettering the environment and keep the earth green and healthy.