Land Pollution is a hidden threat looming large around us. When it comes to air or water pollution, the impacts are more prominent and visible. This is since we can observe the pollutants’ impact and their magnitude.
On the contrary, we may not be able to see the consequences of land pollution clearly, but the land is being constantly degraded and exploited. And, we are unable to assess the costs. Land pollution has emerged as one of the most severe issues we face as a society today.
It is alarming to note that over 75% of the land area on earth is degraded. In this blog, I will walk you through land pollution, different types of land pollutants, their effects and ways to prevent the degradation of our land.
Also Read: What are air pollutants? | Types, sources and effects of air pollution
What is Land Pollution?
Land pollution is defined as the disposal of solid or liquid waste materials on land or underground in such a way that they pollute the soil and groundwater, endanger public health, and create unpleasant situations and nuisances. The following are the three main types of waste that pollute the land:
- Municipal solid waste (MSW, often known as municipal garbage)
- Construction and demolition (C&D) waste or debris
- Hazardous waste
Now let’s have a detailed look at the different types of waste that comes under these three categories.
Municipal Solid Waste
- Municipal solid waste includes nonhazardous garbage and trash from residences, institutions such as schools, business enterprises, and industrial facilities. These are mostly daily goods that we use and then discard.
- Garbage contains moist and biodegradable food wastes like meat and vegetable scraps as well as largely dry things like paper, glass, textiles, and plastic products.
- Trash includes bulky waste materials and objects that are not collected routinely for disposal such as discarded mattresses, appliances, pieces of furniture, etc.
Also Read: What is Sewage? – Sources, Treatment and Quality Indicators
Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste
- Any construction or demolition activity, such as building roads, bridges, flyovers, subways, or remodelling, generates construction and demolition debris.
- It largely comprises of inert and non-biodegradable materials. It mostly includes concrete, plaster, metal, wood, polymers, asphalt etc.
- These wastes are heavy, dense, bulky, and take up a lot of space on the roads and landfills.
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous wastes include harmful and dangerous substances generated primarily as liquids but not excluding solids, sludges, or gases generated by various chemical manufacturing companies, petroleum refineries, paper mills, smelters and many other industries or commercial facilities. Also, waste products that are infectious or radioactive come under hazardous waste.
Hazardous waste is distinct from MSW and C&D debris in terms of both appearance and behaviour. Its disposal necessitates extra caution because it has the potential to inflict serious sickness or injury, as well as pose immediate and significant hazards to environmental quality. The key characteristics of hazardous waste are:
- Toxicity
- Reactivity
- Ignitability
- Corrosivity
In addition to improper disposal of MSW, C&D waste, and hazardous waste, contaminated effluent from subsurface sewage disposal (e.g., from septic tanks) can also be a cause of land pollution.
Now that you have understood the different types of pollutants that contaminate our soil, let us move on to the effects of land pollution.
Land Pollution Effects
We use the land for almost every purpose in our life like the cultivation of crops, construction of buildings, transportation, outdoor activities etc. Hence, land pollution has an impact on almost every aspect of life, including:
- Contamination of drinkable water.
- Polluted soil, which results in the loss of agriculturally productive land.
- Climate change which in turn is causing a slew of disasters like flash floods and erratic rainfall patterns.
- Species extinction and endangerment of wildlife
- Loss of habitat due to which certain animals have to flee their homes in order to survive.
- An increase in the occurrence of wildfires since polluted areas become extremely dry.
- Increased air pollution as a result of garbage burning.
Also read: What Is Noise Pollution? – Causes, Effects and Prevention
Land Pollution Prevention
The harmful effects of land pollution can be reduced if we take proper precautionary measures now. Here are a few methods that can prevent land pollution:
1. Source reduction, also known as waste prevention, is the best method to prevent land pollution. It is the process of developing products that reduce the quantity of garbage that must be discarded later on while simultaneously making the waste less harmful.
2. Make people aware of the Reduce, Recycle and Reuse philosophy. Reusing materials helps to lessen the need for resource collection. Products that cannot be reused may be recycled.
3. In agricultural activities, reduce the usage of pesticides and fertilisers.
4. Use nonbiodegradable materials as little as possible. Simply using a reusable cloth bag for groceries instead of plastic shopping bags will help reduce the use of non-biodegradable materials.
5. Avoid purchasing packaged things because they generate waste and end up in landfills.
6. Establish a dumping site away from residential areas and habitats of animals. There are a variety of species that live beneath the surface of the earth. Destroying the land’s equilibrium also means disrupting their ecosystem. As a result, numerous animals, such as Gilbert’s Potoroo in Australia, have become endangered.
7. Education is essential for reducing land contamination. We must demonstrate the negative consequences of land contamination as well as how to mitigate them. Persuading others can inspire every one of us to make a meaningful contribution to the preservation of our environment.
Shall we wrap up?
Conclusion
In this blog, I had shown you the definition, effects, causes and tips to control land pollution. Preventing land pollution and reclaiming the degraded land is the need of the hour. Preventive steps should begin on the part of an individual such as practising the 3R Concept, using biodegradable products etc.
All countries must work together to create international laws that govern how land should be used wisely. Together, let’s join hands to fight this invisible demon away from our planet.
If you have any queries feel free to ask in the comments section. Happy Learning.
Comments are closed.