About Lesson
Land (Soil) Pollution
Sources of soil pollution
- Acid rain
- Aerosols
- Solid refuse
- Inorganic fertilizers
Effects of Land (soil) Pollution
- Acid rain
- Reduces the soil pH, thus affect plants and soil organism.
- Causes loss of soil fertility due to leaching.
- Aerosols
- Contain heavy metals such as mercury and lead. The metals are absorbed and incorporated into plant tissues. Animals get poisoned when they feed on these plants.
- They kill microbes in the soil. This reduces the soil fertility as they are involved in the decomposition of organic matter,
- Solid refuse
Are the domestic and industrial wastes including plastics, glass, rubber and metals which are non-biodegradable.
- It destroys the aesthetic value of the environment.
- Plastics become breeding grounds for disease vectors like insects, rodents and pests. It is a health hazard.
- Limits soil aeration and microorganism activities in the soil.
- Inorganic fertilizers
Increase soil pH, killing microorganisms in the soil and hence slow down the rate of decomposition. This affects plant and subsequently animal life.
Control of Land (soil) pollution
- Treating industrial wastes before discharging it into water bodies.
- Using biological methods to control and kill pests and weeds.
- Recycling solid waste e.g. paper, glass, rubber and plastics.
- Establishing laws on management of solid waste.
- Practicing good farming methods like using biodegradable organic fertilizers.
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