Causes and Effects of

Land Pollution

There are many causes and effects of land pollution. When you see the effects it really brings to light the reasons why we need to reduce those causes. We all need the land to be healthy so that we can grow food, to prevent run off from destroying water, and even the air we breathe can be affected when there are pollutants in the soil.

We tend to take up open areas that are forests and create living locations. Homes and businesses are cropping up all over in areas that were once open forest land. Even more construction in the cities means that there is an increase in the raw materials that are used for it. As forests are depleted it means that there is less oxygen and less soil for plant life to grow and thrive than before.

Causes and Effects of Land Pollution: Food

More land is used today for the production of food than ever before. As the population continues to rise there has to be more food offered. The use of herbicides and pesticides is very common for growing them. Those chemicals get into the soil and they erode it. They also are washed into the bodies of water.

Only organically grown food doesn’t have any forms of chemicals used in any part of the process are free of them. Land has to be chemical free for a period of at least 5 years before it can be certified for the growth of organic foods. The yield is less due to the time and processing it takes to plant, grow, and harvest the food. That is why it costs more.

Meat is something that most humans consume on a regular basis. To keep up with that demand large farms for them to be raised are out there. This too contributes to land destruction due to the amount of bodily waste that these animals create. Being able to properly dispose of it can be overwhelming for many of these farmers.

At the same time the human waste can be a problem for our land too. With so many people around the world now it is hard to properly dispose of it. In many areas there aren’t sanitary measures in place to take care of those wastes. As a result they get into the soil and water.

Have you ever wondered what happens to those items you toss into the trash can? Domestic waste are a huge causes and effects of land pollution. A large number of items aren’t biodegradable so that means they stay in the landfills for decades. To help reduce it consumers need to buy eco friendly products.

Getting into the habit of reusing and recycling items is also very important. Studies show that only about 20% of what the average household tosses out can’t be recycled or reused. A great family project would be to think about how to better use items and even where to donate items that the household really doesn’t want.

Causes and Effects of Land Pollution: Factories

Factories still contribute to land pollution even though they are much better than in the past. The processes of creating food, products, mining, petroleum, and more all cause destruction to the land. Nuclear waste disposal is also a problem that requires a close look at. Those substances really aren’t good for the soil and can cause very serious health problems for those that are exposed to them.

As you see the causes and effects of land pollution, it should make you want to be able to do something about it. The blame is often passed along to industry but all of us have a role in it. Taking responsibly and action starting at home and where you work is a great start. These are causes and effects of land pollution!

Photo author: John Haynes (Wikimedia Commons)

Causes and Effects of Land Pollution.

Land Pollution Facts

Land Pollution Facts.

When we think of pollution, it is often in terms of the air or the water that we think of. Yet there is a major contributor that is overlooked then which is land pollution. These facts will help you to remember that it too is a problem area and one that we all need to be looking for better ways of controlling.

Land pollution has increased in the last 50 years due to industrialization and development in urban regions. Technology has also contributed to it due to the production of various toxins and synthetic materials. In the quest to make life faster, easier, and more exciting these items are created but then the damage to our land is also increased with them.

In 2009 there were over 20,000 beaches around the world closed to due to land pollution. This information is being reviewed by the National Resources Defense Council. They want to devise a plan of action to help reduce that problem from increasing. They also want to implement a plan of action including volunteers to clean those beaches so that they can be opened up again.

There are three major areas of concern when it comes to land pollution. It is believed that 80% of it is due to food production, the production of energy, or the various methods of transportation.

The increase in types and volume of heavy metals found in the environment due to industries and mining activities are a huge concern for land pollution. It is very expensive to clean up those areas and the companies that do the mining tend to not want to pay for it. The fact that many of these mines are in underdeveloped regions means that the laws there don’t mandate them to do so.

Coal is widely used by power plants which results in high volumes of mercury being in the land. The EPA believes that mercury is one of the most serious forms of toxins that are building up on land.

Land Pollution Facts: Increases Water Pollution

It is important to understand that land pollution also increases water pollution. This is because what is on the land gets washed to lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds when it rains. While the focus is often on cleaning up the bodies of water it should also be on the land which is the contributing source of it.

Making the choice to use eco friendly products including reusable water bottles and cleaning products could reduce land pollution by up to 40% in just 20 years if all households were to take part in doing so.

The growth of food is a huge contributor to land pollution. Chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides are used to help the crops to thrive. These chemicals can erode soil and make areas of land hard to use for further crops to grow if the farmers aren’t very careful about their efforts. Approximately 20 billion tons of topsoil are lost annually due to land pollution.

It is estimated that 8 million gallons of items are littered on the ground daily by consumers. Using trash bins, recycling, and using reusable items can significantly cut down on this particular element of land pollution.

Approximately 80% of what ends up in landfills each year could be recycled or reused. Establishing recycling areas in your community is very important. Buying used items when you can and donated what you no longer want can dramatically reduce land pollution.

Consumers are able to buy organic foods which are grown free of chemicals. They can also buy products with eco friendly packaging. Such messages tell the companies that take part in land pollution techniques that they will lose business if they continue to do so. These are land pollution facts!

Land Pollution Facts.