Following are the three land pollutants:
1. Agricultural wastes
2. fertilizers
3. chemicals sprayed on crops
Land pollution is one of the main types of pollution hurting the earth. It refers to the destruction or degradation of earth’s surface, directly or indirectly due to anthropogenic activities.
Any activity that undermines the quality or productivity of the land as a suitable place for agriculture, wildlife, construction, forestation, etc. falls under land pollution.
While there are many causes of land pollution, industrialization is the major culprit. In this article, we explore the major types of land pollution and some of the mitigation measures for land pollution.
There are numerous reasons and causes of land pollution, but the following 5 pose the most adverse effects to various life forms on earth.
1. Agricultural Land Pollution
We use a lot of fertilizers as well as pesticides, fungicides, and insecticides on our agricultural land in a bid to maximize yields.
These agricultural inputs are all loaded with chemicals. The chemicals are effective in killing the pests and increasing production. But they also strip the soil of its minerals and other valuable compounds.
Moreover, they are harmful to animals, fish, birds, and useful microbes. In fact, some of the herbicides we use to eradicate weeds are so harmful that they can be deadly even when used in small amounts.
2. Non-biodegradable Solid Waste
There is a lot of waste that is generated in our homes, schools, hospitals, shops, and even workplaces. Most of this waste is non-biodegradable. It can take up to millions of years to decompose completely.
Non-biodegradable solid waste includes metal, glass, and plastic products. This waste finds its way to the dumping areas, which in turn results in landfills. Plastic products are especially the most notorious.
They pile up over time and it becomes very difficult to eliminate them.
3. Industrial Waste
Another major source of land pollution is industrial wastes. These wastes include the following: