5/31/2017 CausesandEffectsofSoilPollutionConserveEnergyFuture

WhatisSoilPollution?
Withtheriseofconcretebuildingsandroads,onepartoftheEarththatwerarelyseeisthesoil.Ithas
manydifferentnames,suchasdirt,mudandground.However,itisdefinitelyveryimportanttous.The
plantsthatfeedusgrowinsoilandkeepingithealthyisessentialtomaintainingabeautifulplanet.
However,likeallotherformsofnature,soilalsosuffersfrompollution.Thepollutionofsoilisacommon
thingthesedays,andithappensduetothepresenceofmanmadeelements.

Themainreasonwhythesoilbecomescontaminatedisduetothepresenceofmanmadewaste.The
wasteproducedfromnatureitselfsuchasdeadplants,carcassesofanimalsandrottenfruitsand
vegetablesonlyaddstothefertilityofthesoil.However,ourwasteproductsarefullofchemicalsthatare
notoriginallyfoundinnatureandleadtosoilpollution.

http://www.conserveenergyfuture.com/causesandeffectsofsoilpollution.php 1/5
5/31/2017 CausesandEffectsofSoilPollutionConserveEnergyFuture

MainCausesofSoilPollution
1.IndustrialActivity:Industrialactivityhasbeenthebiggestcontributortotheprobleminthelast
century,especiallysincetheamountofminingandmanufacturinghasincreased.Mostindustriesare
dependentonextractingmineralsfromtheEarth.Whetheritisironoreorcoal,thebyproductsare
contaminatedandtheyarenotdisposedoffinamannerthatcanbeconsideredsafe.Asaresult,
theindustrialwastelingersinthesoilsurfaceforalongtimeandmakesitunsuitableforuse.

2.AgriculturalActivities:Chemicalutilizationhasgoneuptremendouslysincetechnologyprovidedus
withmodernpesticidesandfertilizers.Theyarefullofchemicalsthatarenotproducedinnatureand
cannotbebrokendownbyit.Asaresult,theyseepintothegroundaftertheymixwithwaterandslowly
reducethefertilityofthesoil.Otherchemicalsdamagethecompositionofthesoilandmakeiteasierto
erodebywaterandair.Plantsabsorbmanyofthesepesticidesandwhentheydecompose,theycausesoil
pollutionsincetheybecomeapartoftheland.

http://www.conserveenergyfuture.com/causesandeffectsofsoilpollution.php 2/5
5/31/2017 CausesandEffectsofSoilPollutionConserveEnergyFuture

3.WasteDisposal:Finally,agrowingcauseforconcernishowwedisposeofourwaste.Whileindustrial
wasteissuretocausecontamination,thereisanotherwayinwhichweareaddingtothepollution.Every
humanproducesacertainamountofpersonalwasteproductsbywayorurineandfeces.

Whilemuchofitmovesintothesewerthesystem,thereisalsoalargeamountthatisdumpeddirectly
intolandfillsintheformofdiapers.Eventhesewersystemendsatthelandfill,wherethebiological
wastepollutesthesoilandwater.Thisisbecauseourbodiesarefulloftoxinsandchemicalswhichare
nowseepingintothelandandcausingpollutionofsoil.

4.AccidentalOilSpills:Oilleakscanhappenduringstorageandtransportofchemicals.Thiscanbe
seenatmostofthefuelstations.Thechemicalspresentinthefueldeterioratesthequalityofsoiland
makethemunsuitableforcultivation.Thesechemicalscanenterintothegroundwaterthroughsoiland
makethewaterundrinkable.

5.AcidRain:Acidrainiscausedwhenpollutantspresentintheairmixesupwiththerainandfallback
ontheground.Thepollutedwatercoulddissolveawaysomeoftheimportantnutrientsfoundinsoiland
changethestructureofthesoil.

EffectsofSoilPollution
1.EffectonHealthofHumans:Consideringhowsoilisthereasonweareabletosustainourselves,the
contaminationofithasmajorconsequencesonourhealth.Cropsandplantsgrownonpollutedsoilabsorb
muchofthepollutionandthenpasstheseontous.Thiscouldexplainthesuddensurgeinsmalland
terminalillnesses.

Longtermexposuretosuchsoilcanaffectthegeneticmakeupofthebody,causingcongenitalillnesses
andchronichealthproblemsthatcannotbecuredeasily.Infact,itcansickenthelivestocktoa
considerableextentandcausefoodpoisoningoveralongperiodoftime.Thesoilpollutioncanevenlead
towidespreadfaminesiftheplantsareunabletogrowinit.

http://www.conserveenergyfuture.com/causesandeffectsofsoilpollution.php 3/5
5/31/2017 CausesandEffectsofSoilPollutionConserveEnergyFuture

2.EffectonGrowthofPlants:Theecologicalbalanceofanysystemgetsaffectedduetothewidespread
contaminationofthesoil.Mostplantsareunabletoadaptwhenthechemistryofthesoilchangesso
radicallyinashortperiodoftime.Fungiandbacteriafoundinthesoilthatbindittogetherbeginto
decline,whichcreatesanadditionalproblemofsoilerosion.

Thefertilityslowlydiminishes,makinglandunsuitableforagricultureandanylocalvegetationto
survive.Thesoilpollutioncauseslargetractsoflandtobecomehazardoustohealth.Unlikedeserts,
whicharesuitableforitsnativevegetation,suchlandcannotsupportmostformsoflife.

3.DecreasedSoilFertility:Thetoxicchemicalspresentinthesoilcandecreasesoilfertilityand
thereforedecreaseinthesoilyield.Thecontaminatedsoilisthenusedtoproducefruitsandvegetables
whichlacksqualitynutrientsandmaycontainsomepoisonoussubstancetocauseserioushealthproblems
inpeopleconsumingthem.

4.ToxicDust:Theemissionoftoxicandfoulgasesfromlandfillspollutestheenvironmentandcauses
seriouseffectsonhealthofsomepeople.Theunpleasantsmellcausesinconveniencetootherpeople.

5.ChangesinSoilStructure:Thedeathofmanysoilorganisms(e.g.earthworms)inthesoilcanleadto
alterationinsoilstructure.Apartfromthat,itcouldalsoforceotherpredatorstomovetootherplacesin
searchoffood.

http://www.conserveenergyfuture.com/causesandeffectsofsoilpollution.php 4/5
5/31/2017 CausesandEffectsofSoilPollutionConserveEnergyFuture

Anumberofwayshavebeensuggestedtocurbthecurrentrateofpollution.Suchattemptsatcleaningup
theenvironmentrequireplentyoftimeandresourcestobepitchedin.Industrieshavebeengiven
regulationsforthedisposalofhazardouswaste,whichaimsatminimizingtheareathatbecomes
polluted.Organicmethodsoffarmingarebeingsupported,whichdonotusechemicalladenpesticides
andfertilizers.Useofplantsthatcanremovethepollutantsfromthesoilisbeingencouraged.However,
theroadaheadisquitelongandthepreventionofsoilpollutionwilltakemanymoreyears.

http://www.conserveenergyfuture.com/causesandeffectsofsoilpollution.php 5/5