TheDanger of Soil Pollution
Friday, February 17th, 2012Air pollution is getting most of the attention but soil pollution is another serious problem. Soil pollution is a problem that is just as serious as air pollution. Since soil pollution is in the ground, it’s not that obvious to detect. Soil can be analyzed for contaminants and to what degree are the pollutants present.
When water has been tainted, its run off could cause pollution of the soil. In the event it takes place, plants are not going to grow well at all and you may not get any flowers or fruit production. Most of the food we eat today has been impacted by soil pollution, and is not as healthy as it used to be. Furthermore, without healthy plants, flowers and trees growing around us, air pollution is even worse, because they eliminate carbon monoxide from the air. Human error and neglect are the main causes to the soil pollution we have today. What has happened is leaky storage tanks filled with harsh chemicals are buried in the ground thus leaking dangerous chemicals into the soil. Quite often, anything able to grow is destroyed, and nothing is grown there for a long period.
Other pollutants enter the ground from many sources including landfill. For a very long time, trash would be dumped with wild abandon and no concern for the possible health implications. With rainwater or snowfall, the water could flush several chemicals into the ground. This would be bad enough if it remained there, but below ground the water can flow anywhere, taking the nasty chemicals with it. Nowadays, a lot of modern landfills are made to prevent chemicals from leaking into the ground and restricting certain garbage from being dumped there.
The use of pesticides and the effects on soil and wildlife have been documented. There are several organizations that are trying to persuade the government to take actions to safeguard the soil. With the boost in organic farming and rigid laws for many pesticides, there’s a chance that the soil quality will improve. Companies have had to make changes, including using more things that are naturally degradable. Among the nations on the planet, the United States has the biggest trouble with soil pollution. Breakthroughs in technology and disregard for the environment are the reasons of the polluted soil.
With more education, folks are starting to be more aware of soil pollution, and several things are being done about it. Many programs in the United States are trying to find ways to lessen the soil pollution. It helps that most people are now into organic gardening, and being more mindful about their health.