What Is Soil Pollution? Environmental Impacts and Mitigation

introduction soil pollution essay

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Causes of Soil Pollution

Environmental impacts, where soil pollution occurs.

Soil pollution refers to the dangerously high concentrations of contaminants in soil. While contaminants such as metals, inorganic ions, salts, and organic compounds naturally occur in soils, these can exceed natural levels and qualify as pollution.

Soil pollution can have far-reaching consequences; it is often detrimental to plant growth, disrupting food chains and entire ecosystems. In turn, it has a direct impact on food security . Here, we'll review the causes of soil pollution, its widespread environmental impacts, and how to improve soil conditions.

As with other types of pollution, the causes of soil pollution often come back to humans.

Industrial Pollutants

Industrial pollutants are among the most common causes of soil pollution. Chemicals are released from industrial facilities in both liquid and solid form. Industrial activities emit large amounts of arsenic fluorides and sulfur dioxide, which raise soil acidity and impact vegetation. Accidental spills and leaks during storage, transport, and usage contribute to soil pollution.

Agricultural Activities

There are several sources of soil pollution in industrial agriculture. Many fertilizers, for example, contain substantial amounts of heavy metals, such as calcium, nitrate, and potassium chloride that can disrupt regular growing seasons. Sewage and other liquid waste from domestic water use, agricultural effluents from animal husbandry, and urban runoff also pollute soils.

Another cause is deforestation; the clearing of trees results in increased soil erosion, which lessens the soil’s ability to support vegetation.  

Soil has a finite capacity to cope with pollutants; when this is surpassed, contaminants will impact other parts of the environment, such as the food chain. As a result, soil pollution also affects food security as it reduces crop yields and quality.

Soil pollution contributes to air pollution as it releases volatile compounds into the atmosphere. Furthermore, air pollution created by the burning of fossil fuels can cause acid rain which produces an acidic environment in the soils . This harms micro-organisms, which improve the soil structure by breaking down organic material and helping water flow.

Chemicals within soils can also be leached into groundwater, which can then reach streams, lakes, and oceans. Also, soils with high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus can leach into waterways, causing algal blooms , which decrease the oxygen available for aquatic life. Likewise, soil erosion can lead to pollution and sedimentation in waterways.

Soil pollution can be found all over the world, but particularly in areas in Europe and North America.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, there are approximately 2.8 million potentially polluted sites in Europe, and 19% need remediation or risk-reduction measures. Actions from industrial, commercial, production, waste disposal, and treatment activities have been the main source of point-source soil pollution in Europe. Mining has been a significant contributor to soil pollution in Cyprus, Slovakia, and North Macedonia.

Although there have been improvements in waste management and legislation has become stricter, recent assessments in countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Turkey, indicate that soil pollution is still a significant problem.  

North America

There are thousands of polluted sites in both the U.S. and Canada. There are approximately 23,000 abandoned mines in the state of Colorado alone, which contribute to soil pollution. Additionally, coal combustion from provinces in Canada such as Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia produces coal ash. Also, lakes and rivers in Alberta and Saskatchewan are currently experiencing very high levels of acid pollution which threatens aquatic ecosystems.

To counter soil pollution on the agricultural level, the EPA has recommended that farmers adopt sustainable practices:

  • Nutrient management techniques
  • Drainage practices that conserve resources
  • Year-round ground covering
  • Field buffers
  • Conservation tillage
  • Access to streams for livestock.

Additionally, Congress passed the Pollution Prevention Act , which has led to the creation of programs and strategies that aims to reduce or eliminate pollution at the source.

Strategies that focus on the mining industry include improving the management of mining waste, restoring the landscape, and conserving topsoil. Urban planning and wastewater treatment are also effective in decreasing urban sources of soil pollution, such as sewage.

Ashraf, Muhammad, Maah, Mohd., Yusoff, Ismail. "Soil Contamination, Risk Assessment and Remediation". Environmental Risk Assessment of Soil Contamination, edited by Maria Hernandez-Soriano, IntechOpen, 2014. 10.5772/57287.

FAO and UNEP. 2021.  Global assessment of soil pollution: Report.  Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb4894en

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Soil Pollution

What is soil pollution.

Soil pollution refers to the contamination of soil with anomalous concentrations of toxic substances.

It is a serious environmental concern since it harbours many health hazards. For example, exposure to soil containing high concentrations of benzene increases the risk of contracting leukaemia. An image detailing the discolouration of soil due to soil pollution is provided below. It is important to understand that all soils contain compounds that are harmful/toxic to human beings and other living organisms. However, the concentration of such substances in unpolluted soil is low enough that they do not pose any threat to the surrounding ecosystem. When the concentration of one or more such toxic substances is high enough to cause damage to living organisms, the soil is said to be contaminated.

Soil pollution

The root cause of soil pollution is often one of the following:

  • Agriculture (excessive/improper use of pesticides)
  • Excessive industrial activity
  • Poor management or inefficient disposal of waste

The challenges faced in soil remediation (decontamination of soil) are closely related to the extent of soil pollution. The greater the contamination, the greater the requirement for resources for remediation.

What are the Pollutants that Contaminate Soil?

Some of the most hazardous soil pollutants are xenobiotics – substances that are not naturally found in nature and are synthesized by human beings. The term ‘xenobiotic’ has Greek roots – ‘Xenos’ (foreigner), and ‘Bios’ (life). Several xenobiotics are known to be carcinogens. An illustration detailing major soil pollutants is provided below.

Pollutants that Contaminate Soil

The different types of pollutants that are found in contaminated soil are listed in this subsection.

Heavy Metals

The presence of heavy metals (such as lead and mercury, in abnormally high concentrations) in soils can cause it to become highly toxic to human beings. Some metals that can be classified as soil pollutants are tabulated below.

These metals can originate from several sources such as mining activities, agricultural activities, and electronic waste (e-waste), and medical waste.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (often abbreviated to PAHs) are organic compounds that

  • Contain only carbon and hydrogen atoms.
  • Contain more than one aromatic ring in their chemical structures.

Common examples of PAHs include naphthalene, anthracene, and phenalene. Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons has been linked to several forms of cancer. These organic compounds can also cause cardiovascular diseases in humans.

Soil pollution due to PAHs can be sourced to coke (coal) processing, vehicle emissions, cigarette smoke, and the extraction of shale oil.

Industrial Waste

The discharge of industrial waste into soils can result in soil pollution. Some common soil pollutants that can be sourced from industrial waste are listed below.

  • Chlorinated industrial solvents
  • Dioxins are produced from the manufacture of pesticides and the incineration of waste.
  • Plasticizers/dispersants
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

The petroleum industry creates many petroleum hydrocarbon waste products. Some of these wastes, such as benzene and methylbenzene, are known to be carcinogenic in nature.

Pesticides are substances (or mixtures of substances) that are used to kill or inhibit the growth of pests. Common types of pesticides used in agriculture include

  • Herbicides – used to kill/control weeds and other unwanted plants.
  • Insecticides – used to kill insects.
  • Fungicides – used to kill parasitic fungi or inhibit their growth.

However, the unintentional diffusion of pesticides into the environment (commonly known as ‘pesticide drift’) poses a variety of environmental concerns such as water pollution and soil pollution. Some important soil contaminants found in pesticides are listed below.

  • Phenoxyalkyl acids
  • Aliphatic acids

Insecticides

  • Organophosphates
  • Chlorinated hydrocarbons
  • Arsenic-containing compounds
  • Mercury-containing compounds
  • Thiocarbamates
  • Copper sulfate

These chemicals pose several health risks to humans. Examples of health hazards related to pesticides include diseases of the central nervous system, immune system diseases, cancer, and birth defects.

What are the Processes that Cause Soil Pollution?

Soil pollution can be broadly classified into two categories –

  • Naturally caused soil pollution
  • Anthropogenic soil pollution (caused by human activity)

Natural Pollution of Soil

In some extremely rare processes, some pollutants are naturally accumulated in soils. This can occur due to the differential deposition of soil by the atmosphere. Another manner in which this type of soil pollution can occur is via the transportation of soil pollutants with precipitation water.

An example of natural soil pollution is the accumulation of compounds containing the perchlorate anion (ClO 4 – ) in some dry, arid ecosystems. It is important to note that some contaminants can be naturally produced in the soil under the effect of certain environmental conditions. For example, perchlorates can be formed in soils containing chlorine and certain metals during a thunderstorm.

Anthropogenic Soil Pollution

Anthropogenic Soil Pollution

Almost all cases of soil pollution are anthropogenic in nature. A variety of human activities can lead to the contamination of soil. Some such processes are listed below.

  • The demolition of old buildings can involve the contamination of nearby soil with asbestos.
  • Usage of lead-based paint during construction activities can also pollute the soil with hazardous concentrations of lead.
  • Spillage of petrol and diesel during transportation can contaminate soils with the hydrocarbons found in petroleum.
  • Activities associated with metal casting factories (foundries) often cause the dispersion of metallic contaminants into the nearby soils.
  • Underground mining activities can cause the contamination of land with heavy metals.
  • Improper disposal of highly toxic industrial/chemical waste can severely pollute the soil. For example, the storage of toxic wastes in landfills can result in the seepage of the waste into the soil. This waste can go on to pollute groundwater as well.
  • Chemical pesticides contain several hazardous substances. Excessive and inefficient use of chemical pesticides can result in severe soil pollution.
  • Sewage produced in urbanized areas can also contaminate soil (if not disposed of correctly). These wastes may also contain several carcinogenic substances.

Other forms of waste that can pollute soil include nuclear waste, e-waste, and coal ash.

What are the Negative Consequences of Soil Pollution?

Soil pollution harbours a broad spectrum of negative consequences that affect plants, animals, humans, and the ecosystem as a whole. Since children are more susceptible to diseases, polluted soil poses a greater threat to them.  Some important effects of soil pollution are detailed in this subsection.

Effects on Human Beings

Soil contaminants can exist in all three phases ( solid, liquid, and gaseous ). Therefore, these contaminants can find their way into the human body via several channels such as direct contact with the skin or through the inhalation of contaminated soil dust.

The short term effects of human exposure to polluted soil include

  • Headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
  • Coughing, pain in the chest, and wheezing.
  • Irritation of the skin and the eyes.
  • Fatigue and weakness.

A variety of long-term ailments have been linked to soil pollution. Some such diseases are listed below.

  • Exposure to high levels of lead can result in permanent damage to the nervous system. Children are particularly vulnerable to lead.
  • Depression of the CNS (Central Nervous System).
  • Damage to vital organs such as the kidney and the liver.
  • Higher risk of developing cancer.

It can be noted that many soil pollutants such as petroleum hydrocarbons and industrial solvents have been linked to congenital disorders in humans. Thus, soil pollution can have several negative effects on human health.

Effects on Plants and Animals

Since soil pollution is often accompanied by a decrease in the availability of nutrients, plant life ceases to thrive in such soils. Soils contaminated with inorganic aluminium can prove toxic to plants. Also, this type of pollution often increases the salinity of the soil, making it inhospitable for the growth of plant life.

Plants that are grown in polluted soil may accumulate high concentrations of soil pollutants through a process known as bioaccumulation. When these plants are consumed by herbivores, all the accumulated pollutants are passed up the food chain. This can result in the loss/extinction of many desirable animal species. Also, these pollutants can eventually make their way to the top of the food chain and manifest as diseases in human beings.

Effects on the Ecosystem

  • Since the volatile contaminants in the soil can be carried away into the atmosphere by winds or can seep into underground water reserves, soil pollution can be a direct contributor to air and water pollution .
  • It can also contribute to acid rain (by releasing huge quantities of ammonia into the atmosphere).
  • Acidic soils are inhospitable to several microorganisms that improve soil texture and help in the decomposition of organic matter.  Thus, the negative effects of soil pollution also impact soil quality and texture.
  • Crop yield is greatly affected by this form of pollution. In China, over 12 million tons of grain (worth approximately 2.6 billion USD) is found to be unfit for human consumption due to contamination with heavy metals (as per studies conducted by the China Dialogue).

How can Soil Pollution be Controlled?

Several technologies have been developed to tackle soil remediation. Some important strategies followed for the decontamination of polluted soil are listed below.

  • Excavation and subsequent transportation of polluted soils to remote, uninhabited locations.
  • Extraction of pollutants via thermal remediation – the temperature is raised in order to force the contaminants into the vapour phase, after which they can be collected through vapour extraction.
  • Bioremediation or phytoremediation involves the use of microorganisms and plants for the decontamination of soil.
  • Mycoremediation involves the use of fungi for the accumulation of heavy metal contaminants.

introduction soil pollution essay

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What are the key causes of soil pollution.

Some common causes of soil pollution are listed below,

  • Improper disposal of industrial waste: industries are believed to be one of the leading causes of soil pollution due to improper management and disposal of the toxic wastes generated during industrial activities.
  • Excessive and inefficient usage of pesticides and fertilizers: the agriculture industry makes extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for the growth and maintenance of crops. However, excessive and inefficient use of these toxic chemicals can seriously contaminate the soil.
  • Petroleum or diesel spills: leaks in fuel transportation pipes can cause fuel spills. These fuels are known to contain toxic hydrocarbons which can cause soil contamination.

What are the effects of soil pollution on human health?

The contaminants found in polluted soil can enter human bodies through several channels such as the nose, the mouth, or the skin. Exposure to such soils can cause a variety of short-term health problems such as headaches, coughing, chest pain, nausea, and skin/eye irritation. Prolonged exposure to contaminated soil can lead to the depression of the central nervous system and damage to vital organs (such as the liver). Long-term exposure to polluted soils has also been linked to cancer in humans.

List some examples of the contaminants that pollute soils.

Some common soil pollutants are:

  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

How can soil pollution be avoided?

Many crucial changes must be brought about in order to control soil contamination and soil pollution without making huge compromises on the economy. For example, the use of toxic substances in industrial activities can be avoided wherever suitable alternatives exist. Also, the recycling of waste products will also contribute to a reduction in soil contamination due to landfills. Promoting healthy agricultural practices such as the use of organic manure and organic farming methods can help reduce the number of chemical fertilizers used on agricultural soils. Efficient and limited use of chemical pesticides must also be advocated.

What are the environmental remediation processes that can be employed to curb the negative effects of soil pollution?

  • The contaminated soil can be excavated and transported to a remote disposal site.
  • Thermal remediation of contaminated soil, involves heating up the soil in order to vaporize the volatile toxic pollutants.
  • Soil decontamination via surfactant leaching.

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Essay on Soil Pollution for Students in 1200 Words

Essay on Soil Pollution for Students and Children 1200+ Words

You will read an Essay on Soil Pollution for Students and Children in 1200 Words with Facts, Causes, Effects, and Control measures of Soil pollution.

So, Let’s start the Essay on Soil Pollution

Table of Contents

Introduction (Essay on Soil Pollution)

So, first – What is Soil Pollution?

Soil Pollution is contaminating of Soil by Human and Natural activities, which may be a harmful effect on flora and fauna. It is a mixture of 45% of organic matter, 5% Soil water and Soil air. It may be from Industrial, Urban, agriculture, Biological process, and Radioactive substances or Pollutants. 

Facts about Soil Pollution in points

For a Successful and handful produce from the soil is ever running concept with the plundering of all minerals and nutrients, leaving the soil used, overused and almost left useless.

  • The Great and overlooked concept of the soil that can store 9,200 tonnes of water in an Acre, and it is about..01% of earth total water which stops floods or drains the water to its places.
  • In the living system, there are more microorganisms than humans and its top layer may be replaced 500 hundred years, It acts as an excellent filter to increase groundwater and stops polluting, nutrients available for plant growth.
  • It acts as a sponge for absorption 10% Carbon dioxide, which comprises minerals, water, air, and organic matter. It comprises Six layers O, A, E, B, C, and R.  The top layer is known as O, and the Bed is known as R. The organic material made by worms and converts as Nutrients to plants, Act as a bottom place and the top for life on earth.
  • In U.S. 831 Sq.m.  of the forest, the Americas numbered 5% in the world population produces 30% waste globally, nearly 22 barrels of toxic waste resulting in people living nearby suffering with Leukemia.
  • Greenpoint oil spill is one of the biggest in the U.S. ever had caused millions of gallons of oil that was spilled caused the biggest land pollution disasters in the history; the murphy refinery leak had effected 1,700 homes by flood, Breed hoe Bay spill had affected in 5 days leak worth 1,900 acres of land.
  • An average American produces about 2 kgs rubbish a day, and 40% of the lakes were not suitable for any activity in which the soil nearby affected greatly.
  • China is also effected mostly by Soil Pollution around 82.8% of soil contaminated such as copper, lead, mercury, arsenic making the nation one of the most affected countries by the world pollution, the reason is rapid population growth, around 1,00,000 k.m.s are affected by Soil Pollution. Solid waste destroyed nearly 2 million miles and grain contaminated around 19 million tonnes, and billions of dollars were lost. Guangzhou rice crops were found to be contaminated with cadmium the causes kidney failures and cancer a great shock that china produces 12 million tonnes of grain a year which is contaminated by heavy metals; some factories are closed in Beijing because of smog.

Causes of Soil Pollution

Below are the major causes of soil-pollution –

  • There is much cause of Soil Pollution but split into human-made and natural, human-made causes maybe industrial and accidental.  Human actions and natural process is just like adding salt to the wound of Soil pollution.
  • Accidental spills and leaks during transport and storage. Foundry activities like furnaces and other processes into the environment . Mining activity involving the crushing and process of raw materials in heavy metals and emitting toxic substances.
  • Construction activities, agricultural activities like the use of pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers, transportation activities resulting in toxic vehicle emissions, dumping chemicals illegally, landfills with waste leaking into groundwater and pieces of lead-point falling are the Causes of Soil Pollution.
  • Leaking in Sewages, dumping plastic into the soil, waste disposal like a domestic waste, farm, industrial, construction and acid rains sources for soil pollution, and playing a crucial role.

Effects of Soil Pollution

Here are some harmful effects of soil pollution-

  • There is a significant decrease in soil fertility due to contaminants and an impact on sanctity and microorganisms in it.  Plants affected due to the loss in the richness of the soil. Animals consumed by the affected plants will be a threat to the Life Chain.
  • Effect on human health and plants: more than 7 out of 10 points is effected due to Soil Pollution resulting in the development of cancers, Leukemia, and liver cancer, skin diseases, muscular disorders. 
  • When animals consumed affected plants will result in long illness and sudden or early deaths. Plant get affected due to soil pollution, resulting in ecological balance will be a significant threat to animals humans, this will result in the migration of animals and beasts relying on its prey in search of new place resulting in extinction.
  • Soil Pollution affects Air and water:  Polluted soil can discharge volatile compounds resulting in toxic and danger can be emitted, resulting in a significant threat to life.  Toxic chemicals can pollute soil and enter into water bodies that can affect water in a big way.
  • Soil Pollution Causes acidification, loss of soil fertilizers, soil structure and increase in soil salinity: acid rain reduces to soil chemistry and nutrients, kills microorganisms, soil salinity is another feature that leads to barren lands and less plant produce.

Control measures for Soil Pollution

Soil pollution may be categorized into three: agriculture pollution, industrial waste, and urbanization, and measures can be taken for preventing soil pollution.

1. Promote Bio-fertilizers

To get more agriculture output farmers to need to use chemical fertilizers;  No doubt that it yields more and resulting in the loss of sanctity. The use of Biofertilizers will result in the development or maintain microorganisms, which help in the increase of fertility of the Soil.

 2. Promote Bio-Pesticides

By using Bio-Pesticides and fungicides, it does result in any adverse but ends with no loss of fertility of the soil, of course, this process is time-bound.

 3.Promote Non-Toxic waste

Toxic waste will be generated by industries that use more chemicals that need to be treated, this will promote no damage to soil and usage of non-chemical or processed chemicals will have less impact on soil.

 4. Promote waste recycling

Much advertisement for waste recycling is on the cards in public and private domains; this will help the land for better and safe use for generations to come.

 5. Promote Plastic usage of reuse phenomena

The plastic is a big polluter for soil, but if it is recycled and reused it will reap many benefits, alternate reuse mechanisms should be promoted.

6. Restoration  of Reforestation to Afforestation

India is having more than 130 crores of the population needs more food, shelter this resulting in more cutting of the trees, leads to deforestation, now the table has turned to afforestation with nearly 23% of forested area is maintained and the need for more forest area for soil pollution Free India.

7. Promote solid waste management

Promote solid waste management through landfills. Acidic and alkaline waters should be neutralized, and not-degradable material should be treated and disposed of away off in residential areas.

For a Survival of life on Earth soil is essential the conservation and sustainable management of soils to our goals for providing food security to all for over 50% in the mid of century as food and Agricultural Organization. December 5th is the World Soil day, in the year 2017, in the UN environment assembly makes to feel the safe soil for a safe society. I hope you liked this Essay on Soil Pollution.

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Soil Pollution Introduction – Causes, Effects and Control Measures

Soil Pollution Introduction, Causes, Effects and Control Measures

As the days pass swift like an arrow, the increased technology and population result in the increased use of different materials and products. People try to prove themselves cool and in that process, they neglect the nature. This is nothing new, given that we take the resources she provided for being granted. And this neglect is one of the major causes of soil pollution.

People are neglecting the earth and its atmosphere, and their reckless living is impacting their surroundings. Due to all these things, the pollution on earth is increasing at a tremendous rate resulting in global warming. Soil Pollution is in fact known as one of the major pollution types occurring on the earth currently. And the soil pollution effects have damaged various lives and economy.

To stop this or at least reduce it, one must understand what pollution is. Addition of any unwanted substance which is harmful to health in our surrounding is pollution . It is important that we take this seriously even though the effects of it are slow. But do remember, that the long-term effects of pollution are disastrous.

Pollution is of various types depending on their medium, such as water pollution, soil pollution, air pollution etc. but here we will discuss soil pollution only. We will be discussing the soil pollution introduction, effects, control, and causes of soil pollution.

Let’s start with the Soil Pollution Introduction

It can be defined as the addition of any harmful substance which is also known as pollutant or contaminants into the soil and polluting it. The presence of chemicals and harmful pollutants in soil, higher than the natural level, is also termed as soil pollution. This is because these additions in higher concentration are harmful to the ecosystem.

Causes of Soil Pollution

Every soil type contains different elements and components, and some natural contaminants as well. Some of them are metals, inorganic ions, salts, compounds formed by soil microbial activity, and decomposition of organisms. And some mix in soil through atmosphere and wind activity. When these contaminants exceed the natural level, it starts polluting. There are mainly 2 causes of pollution.

Natural Causes of soil pollution:

This is possible due to an imbalance between atmospheric decomposition and the complex soil environment. The complex soil involves the presence of other chemicals and natural conditions which may interact with the released pollutants.

Anthropogenic (Man-made) causes of soil pollution:

Man-made contaminants are the main causes of soil pollution and consist of a large variety of contaminants or chemicals, both organic and inorganic. They can pollute the soil either alone or combined with several natural soil contaminants. There are various causes of soil pollution, some of them are – Accidental spills and leaks during storage, transport or use of chemicals, mining activities, agricultural activities, waste disposal methods etc.

Different human activities like use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, disposal of urban waste, industrial waste, use of toxic substances, radioactive emissions etc. are also some of the man-made causes of soil pollution . The most common pollutants are biological agents and the chemicals used by humans. Below, the man-made causes are explained in detail.

causes of soil pollution

1. Pollution due to urban and industrial waste :

Urban waste and industrial waste contain residues of harmful toxic inorganic and organic chemicals. In these residues, radiation elements such as strontium, cadmium, uranium, and ladders are found, which affect the vitality and fertility of the land. Most of these wastes are non-degradable and they lay on the surface of the soil.

In addition, they may get stuck under several layers, polluting the land and some waste creates harmful fumes. The waste coming from cities are disposed and dumped in dumping yards. This not only pollutes the soil of that land but also its surrounding land, disturbing ecosystem and making it difficult for plants, animals, and humans to live in that area. Plants don’t grow easily, they die. And animals and humans catch different diseases.

2. Pollution by chemical substances :

This is one of the major causes of soil pollution. The chemicals used to kill pests (pesticides), increase fertility of soil (fertilizers), control insects (insecticides), etc. are polluting soil to a great extent. Farmers and gardeners use them to increase the crop production. But, their excessive use is poisoning the soil.

These chemicals create a lot of waste which goes into the soil and after a certain point, the soil dies. Naturally, the soil regenerates its fertility and nutrients after a certain period of time. But due to these chemicals, the soil is losing its capacity to regenerate. These chemicals not only pollute soil but also pollute water as they get mixed with the ground water.

3. Soil pollution by bioactive chemicals :

One of the most dangerous causes of soil pollution is the use of bioactive chemicals. Due to this, the micro-organisms of climate and other soil are being destroyed resulting in decreased quality of the soil. Toxic chemicals enter the diet chain, and they reach the top consumer. Bioactive chemicals are also called Creeping Deaths. These chemicals are widely used in every field of medical. So, the waste coming from hospitals contains the maximum amount of bioactive pollutants.

4. Soil pollution by radioactive matters :

Most of the radioactive waste generate from nuclear power plants. And when it is disposed, it kills all the nutrients of the soil and soil becomes permanently dead and poisonous. It is very toxic and can harm anything which comes near it or in contact. The waste coming from cancer hospitals is also radioactive. Substances such as Radium, Thorium, Uranium, Nitrogen, etc. are radioactive and can infiltrate the soil and create toxic effects.

Soil Pollution Effects

The pollution of soil changes the complete ecosystem be it microorganisms, plants, animals or humans. Soil pollution effects may vary based on age, general health status and other factors, such as the type of pollutant or contaminant inhaled or ingested. Kids are more prone to get affected due to this than the adults. This is because they play in grounds and come in contact with the soil more.

The soil pollution effects are also for humans due to the inhalation of gases emitted from soil moving upward. Or through the inhalation of matter that is distributed and transported by the wind because of the various human activities on the ground. Soil pollution may cause a variety of health problems, starting with headaches, nausea, fatigue, skin rash, and eye irritation. And potentially resulting in more serious conditions like neuromuscular blockage, kidney and liver damage and various forms of cancer.

Soil Pollution Effects

Effects of Soil Pollution on Plants:

There are various soil pollution effects on plants as well. Plants need specific atmospheric conditions; proper nutrients according to plant type are required. As we all know plants and trees are the reason why we all are alive. They provide us with oxygen to breathe. And the soil pollution effects are adverse on plants and trees – they are developing different diseases. Plants are not able to cope up and are dying. These pollutants are consumed by plants, making them nutritionless. And at the extreme level of consumption, they are becoming poisonous i.e. injurious to health.

Apart from this, even the salt content in the soil increases thanks to the soil pollution. Although salt is present even naturally in soil. But the accumulation of nitrates and phosphates in the soil leads to it increasing the levels of salt present in the soil. This high concentration makes it difficult for the plants to correctly absorb the nutrients present in the soil. And this also reduces the quality of the groundwater present below the soil. Also, it has been noted that the plants which are grown in this region are highly poisonous. And when they are consumed, they can cause severe health issues.

The acid rain is also one of the major soil pollution effects. That is, the pollution in the soil allows for the emission of nitrogen into the atmosphere and the decomposition of organic matter present in the soil. As a result of this, sulphur compunds and its dioxides are released into the air which in turn causes acid rain. In the long run, the cycle of acid creation continues which results in further reduction of soil fertility and creates soil erosion.  This leads to the death of plants growing in the soil due to the increased pH levels.

Soil Pollution Effects on Economy:

Soil Pollution results in degradation of crops grown. As a result, the produce on a polluted soil is much less or is of inferior quality. This in turn can affect the sales of crops. And thus declining the income to an average farmer whose livelihood is entirely dependent on the crops. To curb the pollution, the use of fertilizers and other artificial chemicals may be used. But it is costly for an average farmer to afford. As a result, soil pollution has been directly or indirectly responsible for many farmer deaths in the country.

In some countries, due to the soil pollution, the soil contains heavy amounts of lead. And the crops often produced on such soils are discarded due to the immense levels of toxicity. According to the report by the Agriculture ministry of China, more than 12 million tons of grains that are polluted are disposed off every year. The economic losses of farmers in china thus amount to close to 2.5 billion dollars.

Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution

Considering the soil pollution effects, it has become very necessary to prevent it. There are different measures for the prevention and control of soil pollution, some of which are listed below:

Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution

Domestic Waste Control :

Proper waste management system :, 3 r’s i .e. recycle, reduce and reuse :.

Soil acts as a natural sink for contaminants. If the soil is contaminated, home-grown vegetables and fruits may become polluted too. This happens because most of the soil pollutants present in the soil are extracted by the plants along with water every time they feed. Thus, it is necessary to reduce the use of chemical pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers etc. in the excess amount. And contribute your efforts in the control of soil pollution.

As a whole, soil pollution has been a major cause of concern for many nations now. Year after years, steps are being taken to maintain the quality of the soil, and to reduce pollution. Apart from the measures discussed above, it is also essential for the public to have awareness of the harm they are knowingly or unknowingly causing. Strict penalties must be imposed on law violators. And education against pollution and its effects must be started from a very young age with students.

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Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants.

Biology, Ecology, Health, Earth Science, Geography

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Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment . These harmful materials are called pollutants . Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash . They can also be created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water, and land. Many things that are useful to people produce pollution. Cars spew pollutants from their exhaust pipes. Burning coal to create electricity pollutes the air. Industries and homes generate garbage and sewage that can pollute the land and water. Pesticides —chemical poisons used to kill weeds and insects— seep into waterways and harm wildlife . All living things—from one-celled microbes to blue whales—depend on Earth ’s supply of air and water. When these resources are polluted, all forms of life are threatened. Pollution is a global problem. Although urban areas are usually more polluted than the countryside, pollution can spread to remote places where no people live. For example, pesticides and other chemicals have been found in the Antarctic ice sheet . In the middle of the northern Pacific Ocean, a huge collection of microscopic plastic particles forms what is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch . Air and water currents carry pollution. Ocean currents and migrating fish carry marine pollutants far and wide. Winds can pick up radioactive material accidentally released from a nuclear reactor and scatter it around the world. Smoke from a factory in one country drifts into another country. In the past, visitors to Big Bend National Park in the U.S. state of Texas could see 290 kilometers (180 miles) across the vast landscape . Now, coal-burning power plants in Texas and the neighboring state of Chihuahua, Mexico have spewed so much pollution into the air that visitors to Big Bend can sometimes see only 50 kilometers (30 miles). The three major types of pollution are air pollution , water pollution , and land pollution . Air Pollution Sometimes, air pollution is visible . A person can see dark smoke pour from the exhaust pipes of large trucks or factories, for example. More often, however, air pollution is invisible . Polluted air can be dangerous, even if the pollutants are invisible. It can make people’s eyes burn and make them have difficulty breathing. It can also increase the risk of lung cancer . Sometimes, air pollution kills quickly. In 1984, an accident at a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, released a deadly gas into the air. At least 8,000 people died within days. Hundreds of thou sands more were permanently injured. Natural disasters can also cause air pollution to increase quickly. When volcanoes erupt , they eject volcanic ash and gases into the atmosphere . Volcanic ash can discolor the sky for months. After the eruption of the Indonesian volcano of Krakatoa in 1883, ash darkened the sky around the world. The dimmer sky caused fewer crops to be harvested as far away as Europe and North America. For years, meteorologists tracked what was known as the “equatorial smoke stream .” In fact, this smoke stream was a jet stream , a wind high in Earth’s atmosphere that Krakatoa’s air pollution made visible. Volcanic gases , such as sulfur dioxide , can kill nearby residents and make the soil infertile for years. Mount Vesuvius, a volcano in Italy, famously erupted in 79, killing hundreds of residents of the nearby towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Most victims of Vesuvius were not killed by lava or landslides caused by the eruption. They were choked, or asphyxiated , by deadly volcanic gases. In 1986, a toxic cloud developed over Lake Nyos, Cameroon. Lake Nyos sits in the crater of a volcano. Though the volcano did not erupt, it did eject volcanic gases into the lake. The heated gases passed through the water of the lake and collected as a cloud that descended the slopes of the volcano and into nearby valleys . As the toxic cloud moved across the landscape, it killed birds and other organisms in their natural habitat . This air pollution also killed thousands of cattle and as many as 1,700 people. Most air pollution is not natural, however. It comes from burning fossil fuels —coal, oil , and natural gas . When gasoline is burned to power cars and trucks, it produces carbon monoxide , a colorless, odorless gas. The gas is harmful in high concentrations , or amounts. City traffic produces highly concentrated carbon monoxide. Cars and factories produce other common pollutants, including nitrogen oxide , sulfur dioxide, and hydrocarbons . These chemicals react with sunlight to produce smog , a thick fog or haze of air pollution. The smog is so thick in Linfen, China, that people can seldom see the sun. Smog can be brown or grayish blue, depending on which pollutants are in it. Smog makes breathing difficult, especially for children and older adults. Some cities that suffer from extreme smog issue air pollution warnings. The government of Hong Kong, for example, will warn people not to go outside or engage in strenuous physical activity (such as running or swimming) when smog is very thick.

When air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide mix with moisture, they change into acids . They then fall back to earth as acid rain . Wind often carries acid rain far from the pollution source. Pollutants produced by factories and power plants in Spain can fall as acid rain in Norway. Acid rain can kill all the trees in a forest . It can also devastate lakes, streams, and other waterways. When lakes become acidic, fish can’t survive . In Sweden, acid rain created thousands of “ dead lakes ,” where fish no longer live. Acid rain also wears away marble and other kinds of stone . It has erased the words on gravestones and damaged many historic buildings and monuments . The Taj Mahal , in Agra, India, was once gleaming white. Years of exposure to acid rain has left it pale. Governments have tried to prevent acid rain by limiting the amount of pollutants released into the air. In Europe and North America, they have had some success, but acid rain remains a major problem in the developing world , especially Asia. Greenhouse gases are another source of air pollution. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane occur naturally in the atmosphere. In fact, they are necessary for life on Earth. They absorb sunlight reflected from Earth, preventing it from escaping into space. By trapping heat in the atmosphere, they keep Earth warm enough for people to live. This is called the greenhouse effect . But human activities such as burning fossil fuels and destroying forests have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This has increased the greenhouse effect, and average temperatures across the globe are rising. The decade that began in the year 2000 was the warmest on record. This increase in worldwide average temperatures, caused in part by human activity, is called global warming . Global warming is causing ice sheets and glaciers to melt. The melting ice is causing sea levels to rise at a rate of two millimeters (0.09 inches) per year. The rising seas will eventually flood low-lying coastal regions . Entire nations, such as the islands of Maldives, are threatened by this climate change . Global warming also contributes to the phenomenon of ocean acidification . Ocean acidification is the process of ocean waters absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Fewer organisms can survive in warmer, less salty waters. The ocean food web is threatened as plants and animals such as coral fail to adapt to more acidic oceans. Scientists have predicted that global warming will cause an increase in severe storms . It will also cause more droughts in some regions and more flooding in others. The change in average temperatures is already shrinking some habitats, the regions where plants and animals naturally live. Polar bears hunt seals from sea ice in the Arctic. The melting ice is forcing polar bears to travel farther to find food , and their numbers are shrinking. People and governments can respond quickly and effectively to reduce air pollution. Chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are a dangerous form of air pollution that governments worked to reduce in the 1980s and 1990s. CFCs are found in gases that cool refrigerators, in foam products, and in aerosol cans . CFCs damage the ozone layer , a region in Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ozone layer protects Earth by absorbing much of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation . When people are exposed to more ultraviolet radiation, they are more likely to develop skin cancer, eye diseases, and other illnesses. In the 1980s, scientists noticed that the ozone layer over Antarctica was thinning. This is often called the “ ozone hole .” No one lives permanently in Antarctica. But Australia, the home of more than 22 million people, lies at the edge of the hole. In the 1990s, the Australian government began an effort to warn people of the dangers of too much sun. Many countries, including the United States, now severely limit the production of CFCs. Water Pollution Some polluted water looks muddy, smells bad, and has garbage floating in it. Some polluted water looks clean, but is filled with harmful chemicals you can’t see or smell. Polluted water is unsafe for drinking and swimming. Some people who drink polluted water are exposed to hazardous chemicals that may make them sick years later. Others consume bacteria and other tiny aquatic organisms that cause disease. The United Nations estimates that 4,000 children die every day from drinking dirty water. Sometimes, polluted water harms people indirectly. They get sick because the fish that live in polluted water are unsafe to eat. They have too many pollutants in their flesh. There are some natural sources of water pollution. Oil and natural gas, for example, can leak into oceans and lakes from natural underground sources. These sites are called petroleum seeps . The world’s largest petroleum seep is the Coal Oil Point Seep, off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The Coal Oil Point Seep releases so much oil that tar balls wash up on nearby beaches . Tar balls are small, sticky pieces of pollution that eventually decompose in the ocean.

Human activity also contributes to water pollution. Chemicals and oils from factories are sometimes dumped or seep into waterways. These chemicals are called runoff. Chemicals in runoff can create a toxic environment for aquatic life. Runoff can also help create a fertile environment for cyanobacteria , also called blue-green algae . Cyanobacteria reproduce rapidly, creating a harmful algal bloom (HAB) . Harmful algal blooms prevent organisms such as plants and fish from living in the ocean. They are associated with “ dead zones ” in the world’s lakes and rivers, places where little life exists below surface water. Mining and drilling can also contribute to water pollution. Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a major contributor to pollution of rivers and streams near coal mines . Acid helps miners remove coal from the surrounding rocks . The acid is washed into streams and rivers, where it reacts with rocks and sand. It releases chemical sulfur from the rocks and sand, creating a river rich in sulfuric acid . Sulfuric acid is toxic to plants, fish, and other aquatic organisms. Sulfuric acid is also toxic to people, making rivers polluted by AMD dangerous sources of water for drinking and hygiene . Oil spills are another source of water pollution. In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, causing oil to gush from the ocean floor. In the following months, hundreds of millions of gallons of oil spewed into the gulf waters. The spill produced large plumes of oil under the sea and an oil slick on the surface as large as 24,000 square kilometers (9,100 square miles). The oil slick coated wetlands in the U.S. states of Louisiana and Mississippi, killing marsh plants and aquatic organisms such as crabs and fish. Birds, such as pelicans , became coated in oil and were unable to fly or access food. More than two million animals died as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Buried chemical waste can also pollute water supplies. For many years, people disposed of chemical wastes carelessly, not realizing its dangers. In the 1970s, people living in the Love Canal area in Niagara Falls, New York, suffered from extremely high rates of cancer and birth defects . It was discovered that a chemical waste dump had poisoned the area’s water. In 1978, 800 families living in Love Canal had to a bandon their homes. If not disposed of properly, radioactive waste from nuclear power plants can escape into the environment. Radioactive waste can harm living things and pollute the water. Sewage that has not been properly treated is a common source of water pollution. Many cities around the world have poor sewage systems and sewage treatment plants. Delhi, the capital of India, is home to more than 21 million people. More than half the sewage and other waste produced in the city are dumped into the Yamuna River. This pollution makes the river dangerous to use as a source of water for drinking or hygiene. It also reduces the river’s fishery , resulting in less food for the local community. A major source of water pollution is fertilizer used in agriculture . Fertilizer is material added to soil to make plants grow larger and faster. Fertilizers usually contain large amounts of the elements nitrogen and phosphorus , which help plants grow. Rainwater washes fertilizer into streams and lakes. There, the nitrogen and phosphorus cause cyanobacteria to form harmful algal blooms. Rain washes other pollutants into streams and lakes. It picks up animal waste from cattle ranches. Cars drip oil onto the street, and rain carries it into storm drains , which lead to waterways such as rivers and seas. Rain sometimes washes chemical pesticides off of plants and into streams. Pesticides can also seep into groundwater , the water beneath the surface of the Earth. Heat can pollute water. Power plants, for example, produce a huge amount of heat. Power plants are often located on rivers so they can use the water as a coolant . Cool water circulates through the plant, absorbing heat. The heated water is then returned to the river. Aquatic creatures are sensitive to changes in temperature. Some fish, for example, can only live in cold water. Warmer river temperatures prevent fish eggs from hatching. Warmer river water also contributes to harmful algal blooms. Another type of water pollution is simple garbage. The Citarum River in Indonesia, for example, has so much garbage floating in it that you cannot see the water. Floating trash makes the river difficult to fish in. Aquatic animals such as fish and turtles mistake trash, such as plastic bags, for food. Plastic bags and twine can kill many ocean creatures. Chemical pollutants in trash can also pollute the water, making it toxic for fish and people who use the river as a source of drinking water. The fish that are caught in a polluted river often have high levels of chemical toxins in their flesh. People absorb these toxins as they eat the fish. Garbage also fouls the ocean. Many plastic bottles and other pieces of trash are thrown overboard from boats. The wind blows trash out to sea. Ocean currents carry plastics and other floating trash to certain places on the globe, where it cannot escape. The largest of these areas, called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. According to some estimates, this garbage patch is the size of Texas. The trash is a threat to fish and seabirds, which mistake the plastic for food. Many of the plastics are covered with chemical pollutants. Land Pollution Many of the same pollutants that foul the water also harm the land. Mining sometimes leaves the soil contaminated with dangerous chemicals. Pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural fields are blown by the wind. They can harm plants, animals, and sometimes people. Some fruits and vegetables absorb the pesticides that help them grow. When people consume the fruits and vegetables, the pesticides enter their bodies. Some pesticides can cause cancer and other diseases. A pesticide called DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) was once commonly used to kill insects, especially mosquitoes. In many parts of the world, mosquitoes carry a disease called malaria , which kills a million people every year. Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Muller was awarded the Nobel Prize for his understanding of how DDT can control insects and other pests. DDT is responsible for reducing malaria in places such as Taiwan and Sri Lanka. In 1962, American biologist Rachel Carson wrote a book called Silent Spring , which discussed the dangers of DDT. She argued that it could contribute to cancer in humans. She also explained how it was destroying bird eggs, which caused the number of bald eagles, brown pelicans, and ospreys to drop. In 1972, the United States banned the use of DDT. Many other countries also banned it. But DDT didn’t disappear entirely. Today, many governments support the use of DDT because it remains the most effective way to combat malaria. Trash is another form of land pollution. Around the world, paper, cans, glass jars, plastic products, and junked cars and appliances mar the landscape. Litter makes it difficult for plants and other producers in the food web to create nutrients . Animals can die if they mistakenly eat plastic. Garbage often contains dangerous pollutants such as oils, chemicals, and ink. These pollutants can leech into the soil and harm plants, animals, and people. Inefficient garbage collection systems contribute to land pollution. Often, the garbage is picked up and brought to a dump, or landfill . Garbage is buried in landfills. Sometimes, communities produce so much garbage that their landfills are filling up. They are running out of places to dump their trash. A massive landfill near Quezon City, Philippines, was the site of a land pollution tragedy in 2000. Hundreds of people lived on the slopes of the Quezon City landfill. These people made their living from recycling and selling items found in the landfill. However, the landfill was not secure. Heavy rains caused a trash landslide, killing 218 people. Sometimes, landfills are not completely sealed off from the land around them. Pollutants from the landfill leak into the earth in which they are buried. Plants that grow in the earth may be contaminated, and the herbivores that eat the plants also become contaminated. So do the predators that consume the herbivores. This process, where a chemical builds up in each level of the food web, is called bioaccumulation . Pollutants leaked from landfills also leak into local groundwater supplies. There, the aquatic food web (from microscopic algae to fish to predators such as sharks or eagles) can suffer from bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals. Some communities do not have adequate garbage collection systems, and trash lines the side of roads. In other places, garbage washes up on beaches. Kamilo Beach, in the U.S. state of Hawai'i, is littered with plastic bags and bottles carried in by the tide . The trash is dangerous to ocean life and reduces economic activity in the area. Tourism is Hawai'i’s largest industry . Polluted beaches discourage tourists from investing in the area’s hotels, restaurants, and recreational activities. Some cities incinerate , or burn, their garbage. Incinerating trash gets rid of it, but it can release dangerous heavy metals and chemicals into the air. So while trash incinerators can help with the problem of land pollution, they sometimes add to the problem of air pollution. Reducing Pollution Around the world, people and governments are making efforts to combat pollution. Recycling, for instance, is becoming more common. In recycling, trash is processed so its useful materials can be used again. Glass, aluminum cans, and many types of plastic can be melted and reused . Paper can be broken down and turned into new paper. Recycling reduces the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills, incinerators, and waterways. Austria and Switzerland have the highest recycling rates. These nations recycle between 50 and 60 percent of their garbage. The United States recycles about 30 percent of its garbage. Governments can combat pollution by passing laws that limit the amount and types of chemicals factories and agribusinesses are allowed to use. The smoke from coal-burning power plants can be filtered. People and businesses that illegally dump pollutants into the land, water, and air can be fined for millions of dollars. Some government programs, such as the Superfund program in the United States, can force polluters to clean up the sites they polluted. International agreements can also reduce pollution. The Kyoto Protocol , a United Nations agreement to limit the emission of greenhouse gases, has been signed by 191 countries. The United States, the world’s second-largest producer of greenhouse gases, did not sign the agreement. Other countries, such as China, the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, have not met their goals. Still, many gains have been made. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River, in the U.S. state of Ohio, was so clogged with oil and trash that it caught on fire. The fire helped spur the Clean Water Act of 1972. This law limited what pollutants could be released into water and set standards for how clean water should be. Today, the Cuyahoga River is much cleaner. Fish have returned to regions of the river where they once could not survive. But even as some rivers are becoming cleaner, others are becoming more polluted. As countries around the world become wealthier, some forms of pollution increase. Countries with growing economies usually need more power plants, which produce more pollutants. Reducing pollution requires environmental, political, and economic leadership. Developed nations must work to reduce and recycle their materials, while developing nations must work to strengthen their economies without destroying the environment. Developed and developing countries must work together toward the common goal of protecting the environment for future use.

How Long Does It Last? Different materials decompose at different rates. How long does it take for these common types of trash to break down?

  • Paper: 2-4 weeks
  • Orange peel: 6 months
  • Milk carton: 5 years
  • Plastic bag: 15 years
  • Tin can: 100 years
  • Plastic bottle: 450 years
  • Glass bottle: 500 years
  • Styrofoam: Never

Indoor Air Pollution The air inside your house can be polluted. Air and carpet cleaners, insect sprays, and cigarettes are all sources of indoor air pollution.

Light Pollution Light pollution is the excess amount of light in the night sky. Light pollution, also called photopollution, is almost always found in urban areas. Light pollution can disrupt ecosystems by confusing the distinction between night and day. Nocturnal animals, those that are active at night, may venture out during the day, while diurnal animals, which are active during daylight hours, may remain active well into the night. Feeding and sleep patterns may be confused. Light pollution also indicates an excess use of energy. The dark-sky movement is a campaign by people to reduce light pollution. This would reduce energy use, allow ecosystems to function more normally, and allow scientists and stargazers to observe the atmosphere.

Noise Pollution Noise pollution is the constant presence of loud, disruptive noises in an area. Usually, noise pollution is caused by construction or nearby transportation facilities, such as airports. Noise pollution is unpleasant, and can be dangerous. Some songbirds, such as robins, are unable to communicate or find food in the presence of heavy noise pollution. The sound waves produced by some noise pollutants can disrupt the sonar used by marine animals to communicate or locate food.

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Essay on Pollution: Samples in 100, 150 and 200 Words

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  • Nov 23, 2023

Essay on Pollution

As the world embraced urbanization, mother nature witnessed the greener lands getting transformed into modern cities and metropolises. What followed is a trail of natural disasters signalling that something is wrong with the planet earth. Pollution is increasingly asked under the writing section in school and college tests as well as competitive exams . This is because it is a relevant environmental issue today. This blog aims to help you with the necessary knowledge as well as tips and tricks to draft a well-written essay on pollution.

Related Read: Women Empowerment Essay

What is Pollution?

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These materials are called pollutants. They can be created by human activity like trash and natural like volcanic ash. Pollutants damage the quality of water, air and land. Pollution is a global problem. Air and water carry pollution into the ocean currents and migrating fish. Pollution is among the many things that harm our planet- once greener and healthier than it is now. Pollution is a dangerous phenomenon that is contributing to an array of health issues.

Essay on Pollution

Types of Pollution

In simple terms, pollution is defined as the contamination of the physical and biological constituents in the earth’s atmosphere. It affects human life and the natural environment to a very great extent. It degrades our natural resources, from the water we drink to the air we breathe. While writing an essay on Pollution, you must mention the major four types of pollution which are as follows:

  • Air Pollution : Air pollution is the contamination of air in the atmosphere when harmful or excessive quantities of substances such as smoke and harmful gases from industries, CFCs and oxides produced by automobiles, the burning of solid wastes, etc. are introduced into the environment.
  • Water Pollution : This refers to the contamination of natural resources of water, due to the addition of harmful chemical, biological or physical materials, which includes industrial wastes, oil spills, domestic and farm wastes, pesticides, as well as mining and agricultural wastes, to water resource which make it unusable.
  • Soil Pollution : Land/Soil Pollution occurs due to the degradation of the earth’s surface by different commercial, industrial, agricultural and domestic activities. Causes of soil pollution also include mining, deforestation, dumping of e-waste and other industrial wastes, usage of harmful chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides, etc.
  • Noise Pollution : Excess noise due to sounds created by machines, loudspeakers, microphones, loud music, noise from industries, construction and civil engineering works etc. lead to noise pollution.

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Causes and Health Effects of Pollution

You can include various causes and health effects in your essay on Pollution from the following table:-

Add the causes and effects in your essay on Pollution depending upon the word limit allowed to you.

essay on pollution

Format for Essay on Pollution

Before writing an essay on Pollution, students must be familiarised with the format of essay writing. The key elements of the essay format are Introduction, Body of Content and Conclusion. Take a look at the following paragraphs which delve deeper into the details of these features as per a 200-250 word essay:

  • Introduction – The introduction of the essay must be on providing an overview of the given topic. For an essay on Pollution, you can begin with a simple definition or thought-provoking sentence and complete it in about around 60 words. Since, it is the first thing the reader looks at, try to make it interesting by adding recent instances and impactful questions.
  • Body of Content – This area of the content comes after the introduction and can be explained in around 100-120 words, describing the given topic in detail. So, in writing about pollution, you can describe how the atmosphere and the environment are getting affected due to Pollution and list down various ways to prevent pollution.
  • Conclusion – Wrapping up your essay, this part comprises around 50 words. Try to bring a positive outlook on the issue you are discussing or conclude by summing up in a concise way.

Also Read: Essay on Pollution in Hindi

introduction soil pollution essay

Sample Essay on Pollution in 100 Words

Polllution is the addition of unwanted susbstances which are incorporated into the environment that can damage our Earth. There are mainly four tyoes of pollutions, these inlcude water pollution, air pollution, soil pollution, and noise pollution. One should note that any form of pollution is the result of careless activity carried out by man. We, humans on a daily basis dump waste directly into water bodies which leads to water pollution. Vehicle emissions of smoke into the atmosphere impede the ability of all living things to breathe, leading to air pollution. Our garbage is dumped into landfills directly, which results in soil pollution. Although it cannot be seen, noise pollution is a severe type of pollution that can harm our ears.

Sample Essay on Pollution in 250- 300 Words

The biggest threat planet earth is facing is pollution. Unwanted substances leave a negative impact once released into an environment. There are four types of pollution air, water, land, and noise. Pollution affects the quality of life more than any human can imagine. Due to air pollution, even teenage kids have developed various respiratory diseases. Water pollution has led to diseases in children. The waste we humans dump on the land or chemical fertilisers which are put on the land for agricultural purposes causes land/ soil pollution. If the soil quality deteriorates due to such practices, the soil will become infertile and no crops could be grown in future. The government has launched various schemes over the years to fight pollution but individual efforts can also play a vital role. Start by replacing plastic bags for shopping with cloth bags, stopping littering on roads and stop wasting water are some of the basic things to start with that can lead to big changes in the environment.

Sample Essay on Pollution in 300-350 Words

One of the most critical threats faced by our planet in the present day scenario. Environmental pollution is a global issue affecting people around the world. It is occurring in different forms, whether by affecting the air we breathe or the water resources we utilise for several purposes. Air pollution came into being with an increase in the level of carbon dioxide, with the increase in pollutants which are contaminating the air and causing breathing discomfort as well as skin diseases to human beings. Talking about the other aspect, there is no life without water. The water bodies are polluting and becoming unsafe for drinking or any other use because of industrial development, rapid urbanisation and various other reasons. Due to air pollution, diseases that can occur to human beings are asthma, various skin diseases, cancer, etc. Therefore, it is the essential need of the hour to take serious steps to reduce pollution to its core. At a personal level, we can minimise environmental pollution by taking public transport or carpools to reduce vehicular smoke, avoiding firecrackers at festivals and celebrations can also cut down on air and noise pollution, and not using fertilisers and pesticides which can cause both water and soil pollution, and switching over to organic farming. The government can also bring strict rules and regulations to lessen industrial pollution.  To sum up, any type of pollution is harmful to the environment with serious consequences like global warming, uneven climatic changes, etc. Due to our greediness and illegal human activities, the innocent lives of animals are lost. The time has come to join our hands and work towards preserving and protecting the environment for the present as well as future generations.

Also Read: Essay on Environment: Examples and Tips

introduction soil pollution essay

Tips on How to Write an Essay on Pollution

Before you start writing your essay on Pollution, make a note of the following things:-

  • Make points of what types of pollution and compulsorily add air, water and noise pollution
  • Make a list of what causes and effects do you want to write about
  • Ensure that everything you want to write about is factually correct
  • Try to write shorter and readable sentences. There should be a connection amongst all 3 parts of the essay on Pollution- introduction, body and conclusion

How to Reduce or Prevent Pollution?

Everyone has a responsibility to take action to prevent pollution after learning about its negative impacts. Every preventive measure that can be taken to lessen pollution should be known to us. For example, to reduce air pollution, we should refrain from lighting fireworks during festivals, take public transportation or carpool, limit the use of loudspeakers, and reduce noise pollution by honking in public. This circumstance should always be on our minds so that we can respond appropriately. In the beginning, it is up to us to exercise caution and to raise awareness among those around us. We should take environmentally beneficial measures, such as increasing tree planting, lowering plastic usage, utilising more sustainable household products, etc. Always keep in mind that every tiny action now will have a greater effect tomorrow when discussing global pollution.

Tips on Reducing Pollution

introduction soil pollution essay

  • Say NO to Crackers
  • Use Public Transportation
  • Turn off the lights, fans and water taps when not in use
  • Recycle and Reuse
  • Segregate your waste
  • Say NO to Plastic
  • Plant more trees
  • Use of fans instead of ACs

How Often Does an Essay on Pollution Come in School Exams?

In your school exams, an essay on Pollution will come in your English language paper. Environmental Science is a subject every school teaches so you can pick up some points from the chapters on Pollution and add them to your essay. An essay on Pollution is asked very often if not every year (with one or two other choices of topic) because of its significance in today’s world.

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Essay on Soil Pollution for Students in English | 500 Words Essay

December 20, 2020 by Sandeep

Essay on Soil Pollution: The process by which soil gets contaminated by toxic chemicals and pollutants in rich concentrations, thereby affecting the ecosystem is called soil pollution. Metals, ions, salts, organic compounds formed through microbial activity and organism decomposition disturbs surface layer of soil. This slowly enters groundwater and then into water bodies. Humans infest crops with pesticides and insecticides and produce industrial land radioactive substances due to which soil gets polluted.

Essay on Soil Pollution 500 Words in English

Below we have provided Soil Pollution Essay in English, written in easy and simple words for class 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 school students.

Soil is a combination of organic matter, minerals, chemicals, liquids and organisms that sustain life together. Soil pollution is the presence of toxic components in the soil that affect the soil and the environment at large. It is usually caused by industrial production, agricultural products, or unsuitable waste disposal. Due to its impact on plant life, the problem of soil contamination typically comes to light.Soil pollution can arise from the use of pesticides, non-biodegradable materials, manufacturing effluents, and artificial fertilizers.

Soil pollution contributes to other forms of contamination if, for example, soil pollutants are transferred to water or air. Agriculture is highly soil-dependent, and its pollution harms agricultural activities. The soil is the gift of nature that we work on, walk around, find the food source, produce food, etc. However, something done inappropriately is becoming biologically toxic. Carefree use of soil has caused an increased rate of soil pollution which will inevitably make the soil unusable and unrecyclable.

Types of Soil Pollution

The soil contains two types of pollutants, namely natural pollutants and added pollutants due to human activities. Natural pollutants include organic compounds and inorganic particles that are the result of human activities such as animal and plant decay. Such pollutants are not a cause of concern though, and in fact, they replenish their nutrient soil.  The other group of pollutants are human-made. Human-made pollutants include toxic chemical waste, oil and fuel disposal, radioactive waste, landfills and unregulated disposal, coal ash and other such waste that originates from human activity and is dumped into the soil without treatment.

Causes of Soil Pollution

The disposal of heavy metals, oil and gasoline pollution, industrial waste, accumulation of acids and hazardous chemicals contribute to soil pollution. Heavy use of inorganic nitrogen manures within the agricultural method is often related to soil pollution, in part through the nitrification process. The principal cause of soil pollution is improper irrigation technique. When you over water the ground, this results in an increased level of the water table, which results in higher capillary action.

Similarly, poor maintenance of irrigation waterways and channels can lead to water leakage within the adjacent agricultural land. Also, the lack of crop rotation and intensive farming may have a detrimental impact on the consistency of the soil after some time. Urban activities includes improper waste disposal and building construction which leads to soil pollution by inhibiting proper water drainage. Animal waste and human sewage may pollute the soil by altering its chemical composition.

Effects of Soil Pollution

Soil pollution has had a significant effect on crop quality as the crop roots are unable to absorb enough nutrients from the soil due to pollutants present. For certain parts of the world, this has made the soil less fertile, and efforts are on to replenish the soil of its nutrients. Another significant effect on human health from land pollution is the emergence of multiple diseases due to our interaction with the soil pollutants. For example, areas where soil pollution is high, along with skin infection and even skin cancer, there has been an increase in respiratory problems, particularly in children.

Soil pollution also contributes to higher rates of water pollution . It is because the pollutants of the soil near the rivers or other bodies of water allow the pollutants to be mixed with the flowing water of the rives and thereby pollute it. Soil pollution impacts the environment as a whole, as it also impacts certain species survival.

Preventative Measures for Soil Pollution

Since polluted soil is not safe to use, we need to find ways to prevent soil pollution from affecting our everyday lives. The toxicity of the industrial waste must be before it is disposed of in the soil. Farmers need to make sure they use bio-fertilizers rather than chemical fertilizers. The farmers must also opt for bio-pesticides and bio-fungicides. It can take a long time to respond, but it is suitable for both the crops and the soil. Planting more trees can help to avoid soil erosion.

Exploring pesticide replacements and organic fertilizers is an excellent solution to preventing soil emissions. Also, mixed and rotational farming should be encouraged more to avoid land pollution. Recycling the waste material, rather than storing it inside the landfill, would also eliminate soil pollution. Nobody will throw the electrical products and batteries into home dustbins to keep the soil clear of dangerous substances.

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Soil Pollution Essay

Soil is an important part of the resources that Mother Nature provides. The stability of life is unimaginable without the presence of soil; from infrastructure to agriculture, we are totally dependent on soil. But because of some of our actions, the soil we depend on is getting polluted. Here are some essays on the topic ‘soil pollution’.

Soil Pollution Essay

100 Words Essay On Soil Pollution

One of the vital natural resources that form the cornerstone of human existence on this planet is soil. It provides us with almost everything: the house we live in, the metals we use, minerals, and even those scenic beauties that everybody loves.

But today, this important resource of ours is getting polluted due to some of our actions. Soil pollution is the leading cause of harm to our environment. Overuse of pesticides and herbicides and the release of chemical waste by industries should be immediately banned to prevent soil pollution. Every person, on an individual level, must take responsibility for protecting this important resource.

200 Words Essay On Soil Pollution

The soil is one of the most significant natural resources. It serves as the foundation for food production and provides a variety of habitats for both plants and animals. The relationship between people and the soil goes beyond just their need for food. However, for personal gain, we have allowed improper actions to lead to contamination. Today, soil pollution is the leading cause of disturbance in our lifestyle and our environment.

We have polluted it with chemicals and other unnatural substances, such as the use of urea and other chemicals in agriculture and industries such as tanning and dyeing, which release chemical residue into open water sources and later settle down and pollute the soil. As a result, the quality of the food and water we consume has suffered.

The government should impose strict regulations on various industries. It is important to educate people about the dangers of soil pollution. Biofertilizers should be used by farmers in place of chemical fertilisers. Plastic and other non-biodegradable materials should be banned. In order to reduce soil erosion and stop soil pollution, more trees should be planted.

It's better to take action to make the world a safer place than to wish for it. As a result, we must do our part to reduce soil pollution and make the planet a better and safer place to live.

500 Words Essay On Soil Pollution

It is a well-known fact that the soil is important for us in every way; we depend on it for food, and it provides grazing fields for animals. It is the substratum of every monument that humanity has ever built. Although, because of some of our actions, this important resource of ours is getting polluted, which is harmful not only for us but will also affect other lifeforms.

Soil is a thin layer made up of organic as well as inorganic materials. Earth's rocky surfaces are covered in these substances. There is also the organic component, which comes from the decomposed remains of plants and animals whereas rock fragments make up the inorganic component. Over the course of a thousand years, bedrock underwent chemical and physical weathering, resulting in the formation of this section. In order to provide the world with the necessary food, productive soils are important for agriculture.

Soil is essential for healthy plant growth, human nutrition, and water filtration. A landscape supported by healthy soil is more resistant to the effects of drought, flood, or fire. Soil stores more carbon than all of the world's forests combined, and soil helps to regulate global climate. We cannot survive without healthy soils.

Soil Pollution And Why Is It A Problem

Soil pollution is the process by which toxic chemicals and other pollutants contaminate the soil in high concentrations, affecting the ecosystem. The soil's top layer is disturbed by metals, ions, salts, and organic compounds created by microbial activity and organism decomposition. This slowly seeps into groundwater and then into bodies of water. Pesticides and insecticides used on crops, as well as large-scale radioactive production by humans, pollute the soil.

Humans and other living things are extremely vulnerable to the health effects of soil pollution. When we consume food that was grown in contaminated soil, the crop absorbs the chemicals, which are then ingested by us and can have a serious negative impact on our health. Because of soil pollution, crops can no longer be grown on the soil because it is no longer useful. The plants and animals that inhabit natural water bodies suffer significant harm when soil-derived water seeps through the surface and enters them. It can also be responsible for causing soil erosion. Dirty soil contributes to the worsening of acid rain.

The most crucial action we can take is to stop using pesticides and herbicides in favour of compost and organic fertilisers, refrain from throwing trash or hazardous materials in parks, and use fewer chemical fertilisers. Plastic products should be banned, and anyone found in violation must pay a hefty fine. Before disseminating chemicals into the environment, industries must refine their releases. In order to improve soil quality and stop soil erosion, reforestation is a useful strategy. In order to accomplish that, we must plant as many trees as we can.

Being a country with a sizable amount of agricultural land, we can take action to organise programmes that inform farmers and other locals about the benefits of using natural manure and the harm caused by the use of chemicals.

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Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

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A veterinary doctor is a medical professional with a degree in veterinary science. The veterinary science qualification is the minimum requirement to become a veterinary doctor. There are numerous veterinary science courses offered by various institutes. He or she is employed at zoos to ensure they are provided with good health facilities and medical care to improve their life expectancy.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Speech Therapist

Gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

Cardiothoracic Surgeon

Cardiothoracic surgeons are an important part of the surgical team. They usually work in hospitals, and perform emergency as well as scheduled operations. Some of the cardiothoracic surgeons also work in teaching hospitals working as teachers and guides for medical students aspiring to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. A career as a cardiothoracic surgeon involves treating and managing various types of conditions within their speciality that includes their presence at different locations such as outpatient clinics, team meetings, and ward rounds. 

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Talent Agent

The career as a Talent Agent is filled with responsibilities. A Talent Agent is someone who is involved in the pre-production process of the film. It is a very busy job for a Talent Agent but as and when an individual gains experience and progresses in the career he or she can have people assisting him or her in work. Depending on one’s responsibilities, number of clients and experience he or she may also have to lead a team and work with juniors under him or her in a talent agency. In order to know more about the job of a talent agent continue reading the article.

If you want to know more about talent agent meaning, how to become a Talent Agent, or Talent Agent job description then continue reading this article.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Fashion Blogger

Fashion bloggers use multiple social media platforms to recommend or share ideas related to fashion. A fashion blogger is a person who writes about fashion, publishes pictures of outfits, jewellery, accessories. Fashion blogger works as a model, journalist, and a stylist in the fashion industry. In current fashion times, these bloggers have crossed into becoming a star in fashion magazines, commercials, or campaigns. 

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Content Writer

Content writing is meant to speak directly with a particular audience, such as customers, potential customers, investors, employees, or other stakeholders. The main aim of professional content writers is to speak to their targeted audience and if it is not then it is not doing its job. There are numerous kinds of the content present on the website and each is different based on the service or the product it is used for.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Linguistic meaning is related to language or Linguistics which is the study of languages. A career as a linguistic meaning, a profession that is based on the scientific study of language, and it's a very broad field with many specialities. Famous linguists work in academia, researching and teaching different areas of language, such as phonetics (sounds), syntax (word order) and semantics (meaning). 

Other researchers focus on specialities like computational linguistics, which seeks to better match human and computer language capacities, or applied linguistics, which is concerned with improving language education. Still, others work as language experts for the government, advertising companies, dictionary publishers and various other private enterprises. Some might work from home as freelance linguists. Philologist, phonologist, and dialectician are some of Linguist synonym. Linguists can study French , German , Italian . 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A Team Leader is a professional responsible for guiding, monitoring and leading the entire group. He or she is responsible for motivating team members by providing a pleasant work environment to them and inspiring positive communication. A Team Leader contributes to the achievement of the organisation’s goals. He or she improves the confidence, product knowledge and communication skills of the team members and empowers them.

Procurement Manager

The procurement Manager is also known as  Purchasing Manager. The role of the Procurement Manager is to source products and services for a company. A Procurement Manager is involved in developing a purchasing strategy, including the company's budget and the supplies as well as the vendors who can provide goods and services to the company. His or her ultimate goal is to bring the right products or services at the right time with cost-effectiveness. 

Merchandiser

Azure administrator.

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

ITSM Manager

Information security manager.

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

Big Data Analytics Engineer

Big Data Analytics Engineer Job Description: A Big Data Analytics Engineer is responsible for collecting data from various sources. He or she has to sort the organised and chaotic data to find out patterns. The role of Big Data Engineer involves converting messy information into useful data that is clean, accurate and actionable. 

Applications for Admissions are open.

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Soil Pollution: A Threat to Our Food Supply

Soil Pollution: A Threat to Our Food Supply

SOIL POLLUTION INTRODUCTION Soil is the thin layer of organic and inorganic materials that covers the Earth’s rocky surface. The organic portion, which is derived from the decayed remains of plants and animals, is concentrated in the dark uppermost topsoil. The inorganic portion made up of rock fragments, was formed over thousands of years by physical and chemical weathering of bedrock. Productive soils are necessary for agriculture to supply the world with sufficient food.

A soil pollutant is any factor which deteriorates the quality, texture and mineral content of the soil or which disturbs the biological balance of the organisms in the soil. Pollution in soil has adverse effect on plant growth. The introduction of substances, biological organisms, or energy into the soil, resulting in a change of the soil quality, which is likely to affect the normal use of the soil or endangering public health and the living environment. Soil contaminants are spilled onto the surface through many different activities.

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Most of these are the result of accidents involving the vehicles that are transporting waste material from site of origin to a disposal site. Soil pollution is particularly dangerous for the environment and our health because soil, either in the mountains and in the plains, contains the largest part of the water we drink and produces all the food we need. There are many types of soil pollution, each one with its own features and preventive measures to avoid disasters. CAUSES OF SOIL POLLUTION Indiscriminate use of fertilizers Soil nutrients are important for plant growth and development.

Plants obtain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from air and water. But other necessary nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur and more must be obtained from the soil. Farmers generally use fertilizers to correct soil deficiencies. Fertilizers contaminate the soil with impurities, which come from the raw materials used for their manufacture. Mixed fertilizers often contain ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), phosphorus as P2O5, and potassium as K2O. For instance, As, Pb and Cd present in traces in rock phosphate mineral get transferred to super phosphate fertilizer.

Since the metals are not degradable, their accumulation in the soil above their toxic levels due to excessive use of phosphate fertilizers, becomes an indestructible poison for crops. The over use of NPK fertilizers reduce quantity of vegetables and crops grown on soil over the years. It also reduces the protein content of wheat, maize, grams, etc. , grown on that soil. The carbohydrate quality of such crops also gets degraded. Excess potassium content in soil decreases Vitamin C and carotene content in vegetables and fruits. The vegetables and fruits grown on over-fertilized soil are more prone to attacks by insects and disease.

Indiscriminate use of pesticides, insecticides and herbicides Plants on which we depend for food are under attack from insects, fungi, bacteria, viruses, rodents and other animals, and must compete with weeds for nutrients. To kill unwanted populations living in or on their crops, farmers use pesticides. The first widespread insecticide use began at the end of World War II and included DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and gammaxene. Insects soon became resistant to DDT and as the chemical did not decompose readily, it persisted in the environment.

Since it was soluble in fat rather than water, it biomagnified up the food chain and disrupted calcium metabolism in birds, causing eggshells to be thin and fragile. As a result, large birds of prey such as the brown pelican, ospreys, falcons and eagles became endangered. DDT has been now been banned in most western countries. Ironically many of them including USA, still produce DDT for export to other developing nations whose needs outweigh the problems caused by it. The most important pesticides are DDT, BHC, chlorinated hydrocarbons, organophosphates, aldrin, malathion, dieldrin, furodan, etc.

The remnants of such pesticides used on pests may get adsorbed by the soil particles, which then contaminate root crops grown in that soil. The consumption of such crops causes the pesticides remnants to enter human biological systems, affecting them adversely. An infamous herbicide used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War called Agent Orange (dioxin), was eventually banned. Soldiers’ cancer cases, skin conditions and infertility have been linked to exposure to Agent Orange. Pesticides not only bring toxic effect on human and animals but also decrease the fertility of the soil.

Some of the pesticides are quite stable and their bio- degradation may take weeks and even months. Pesticide problems such as resistance, resurgence, and heath effects have caused scientists to seek alternatives. Pheromones and hormones to attract or repel insects and using natural enemies or sterilization by radiation have been suggested. Today, agriculture has become an industry, named intensive farming, that produces more on quantity than on quality to maximize profits. So, a huge of pesticides is used to fight parasite insects, moulds and herbs that can destroy part of all our crops.

The problem is that the residues of these pesticides are toxic for human beings when present in the vegetable products we consume and when they remain and accumulate in the soil. Here, pesticides can be absorbed by the following crops or be carried by rains to the nearest rivers and to ground-waters. Ground-waters pollution is particularly dangerous for the water we drink, coming from wells and natural sources of the areas where pesticides are used, given that pesticides, after reaching the deep layers of the soil and the ground-waters, are protected from the oxidation by the air and are more persistent.

To give an example, in Italy one of the most developed farming Countries of Europe, the herbicides pollution in the soil has reached worrying levels: from a monitoring campaign about pesticides made by the APAT public authority in the period 2003-2005, there were 119 different pesticides detected as pollutants; 112 of them were found in superficial waters and 48 in ground-waters. The pesticides residues were found, only in 2005, in 485 monitoring sites (47% of the total sites) and the levels of pesticides were above the limits for drinking water in 27. % of sites, About underground waters, 630 monitoring sites were contaminated and were 24. 8% of the total, with 7. 7% of cases above the limits for drinking water. In addition, intensive farming tends to deplete the soil of its mineral content and against this, it uses artificial fertilizers containing phosphorus and nitrogen. Also this is pollution because the soil is exploited too much and changes its features. To remedy against a situation like this, the only solution is a definitive and massive conversion of all cultures to organic farming.

This is not a fashion, but a sustainable cultivation system that doesn’t use synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, practices natural cultivation systems that respect the equilibrium of soils and the natural environment and uses a wider variety of cultures to preserve bio-diversity and the typical regional products. This farming system is not intensive; so, it doesn’t deplete and pollute the soil. Pollution from solid wastes In general, solid waste includes garbage, domestic refuse and discarded solid materials such as those from commercial, industrial and agricultural operations.

They contain increasing amounts of paper, cardboards, plastics, glass, old construction material, packaging material and toxic or otherwise hazardous substances. Since a significant amount of urban solid waste tends to be paper and food waste, the majority is recyclable or biodegradable in landfills. Similarly, most agricultural waste is recycled and mining waste is left on site. The portion of solid waste that is hazardous such as oils, battery metals, heavy metals from smelting industries and organic solvents are the ones we have to pay particular attention to.

These can in the long run, get deposited to the soils of the surrounding area and pollute them by altering their chemical and biological properties. They also contaminate drinking water aquifer sources. More than 90% of hazardous waste is produced by chemical, petroleum and metal-related industries and small businesses such as dry cleaners and gas stations contribute as well. Solid Waste disposal was brought to the forefront of public attention by the notorious Love Canal case in USA in 1978.

Toxic chemicals leached from oozing storage drums into the soil underneath homes, causing an unusually large number of birth defects, cancers and respiratory, nervous and kidney diseases. Deforestation Soil Erosion occurs when the weathered soil particles are dislodged and carried away by wind or water. Deforestation, agricultural development, temperature extremes, precipitation including acid rain, and human activities contribute to this erosion. Humans speed up this process by construction, mining, cutting of timber, over cropping and overgrazing. It results in floods and cause soil erosion.

Forests and grasslands are an excellent binding material that keeps the soil intact and healthy. They support many habitats and ecosystems, which provide innumerable feeding pathways or food chains to all species. Their loss would threaten food chains and the survival of many species. During the past few years quite a lot of vast green land has been converted into deserts. The precious rain forest habitats of South America, tropical Asia and Africa are coming under pressure of population growth and development (especially timber, construction and agriculture).

Many scientists believe that a wealth of medicinal substances including a cure for cancer and aids, lie in these forests. Deforestation is slowly destroying the most productive flora and fauna areas in the world, which also form vast tracts of a very valuable sink for CO2. Pollution from industrial wastes This pollution can be very massive in certain areas, where the industries discharge their wastes and really great is the variety of pollutants: heavy metals compounds, asbestos, organic compounds of all types (oils, solvents, colorants, detergents, phenols), slurries containing residues of all types.

These wastes are released legally but, more frequently, illegally in not controlled sites of the territory, buried in very precarious manners, in containers unable to resist to corrosion, to save money. The bio-degradation of these compounds is very difficult in the soil and the liquid, solid or soluble compounds can easily reach rivers, canals and ground-waters at concentration levels, locally, much higher than those found for pesticides. These toxic substances are absorbed by spontaneous and cultivated vegetation and eaten by bred animals, whose milk and meat is eaten by man, or directly consumed by people.

The results are a higher occurrence of cancer, allergies, liver diseases, sterility and so on. The possible defence against this kind of pollution is possible with more severe laws and controls against industrial pollution. The whole chain of treatment for industrial wastes should be more strictly controlled by our sanitary and environmental authorities to impose all the useful treatments to make pollutants inert for what is possible and repress abuses. Pollution from Urban wastes

These wastes include a wet and fermentable fraction, made of food residuals from houses, restaurants and food industries, paper and plastic-ware from packages, wood, metals and so on and are still abandoned in open-air discharges in many Countries like, once again, my poor Italy. In Campania, the plain around Naples and Caserta is full of many little and large clandestine discharges. These are owned and managed by the local mafia and collect illegally urban wastes and even the industrial ones from the factories of the North Italy, really happy for this service.

Also in the few cases in which all the preventive measures are adopted to avoid the diffusion of the pollutants, it’s nearly impossible to avoid the production of a liquid matter, formed by the decomposition of these residuals, full of toxic compounds PREVENTION OF SOIL POLLUTION Using Plants for pollution cleanup Scientists are studying how plants can be used to bind up soil pollution found at national nuclear laboratories and nuclear power plants, where radioactive and other toxic wastes may reach groundwater.

Plants, soil, and microbes in the soil work together to determine which metals and nutrients plants take up from the soil. Some plants excrete a variety of different chemicals into the soil, some of which act as signals to soil organisms. The challenge is to find out how plants release these chemicals and how these chemicals interact with microbes and soil. Eventually scientists may be able to induce plants to release the chemicals that immobilize wastes in the soil. Reducing chemical fertilizer and pesticide use Applying bio-fertilizers and manures can reduce chemical fertilizer and pesticide use.

Biological methods of pest control can also reduce the use of pesticides and thereby minimize soil pollution. Reusing of materials Materials such as glass containers, plastic bags, paper, cloth etc. can be reused at domestic levels rather than being disposed, reducing solid waste pollution. Recycling and recovery of materials This is a reasonable solution for reducing soil pollution. Materials such as paper, some kinds of plastics and glass can and are being recycled. This decreases the volume of refuse and helps in the conservation of natural resources. For example, recovery of one tonne of paper can save 17 trees.

Reforesting Control of land loss and soil erosion can be attempted through restoring forest and grass cover to check wastelands, soil erosion and floods. Crop rotation or mixed cropping can improve the fertility of the land. Solid waste treatment Proper methods should be adopted for management of solid waste disposal. Industrial wastes can be treated physically, chemically and biologically until they are less hazardous. Acidic and alkaline wastes should be first neutralized; the insoluble material if biodegradable should be allowed to degrade under controlled conditions before being disposed.

As a last resort, new areas for storage of hazardous waste should be investigated such as deep well injection and more secure landfills. Burying the waste in locations situated away from residential areas is the simplest and most widely used technique of solid waste management. Environmental and aesthetic considerations must be taken into consideration before selecting the dumping sites. Incineration of other wastes is expensive and leaves a huge residue and adds to air pollution. Pyrolysis is a process of combustion in absence of oxygen or the material burnt under controlled atmosphere of oxygen.

It is an alternative to incineration. The gas and liquid thus obtained can be used as fuels. Pyrolysis of carbonaceous wastes like firewood, coconut, palm waste, corn combs, cashew shell, rice husk paddy straw and saw dust, yields charcoal along with products like tar, methyl alcohol, acetic acid, acetone and a fuel gas. Anaerobic/aerobic decomposition of biodegradable municipal and domestic waste is also being done and gives organic manure. Cow dung which releases methane into the atmosphere, should be processed further in ‘gobar gas plants’ to produce ‘gobar gas’ and good manure.

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Soil Pollution Essay

Soil Pollution Essay

  • Pages: 5 (1241 words)
  • Published: January 19, 2022

Introduction

The leading cause of soil pollution is human activity. For a long time, humans have gradually polluted the soil more so after the industrial revolution. This is the part of history where humans developed machines that would help them in realizing their dream of manufacturing at a cheaper cost compared to manual labor. It was a great development for people, but it caused a majority of problems for man and the environment. The leading causes of soil pollution include but are not limited to chemical usage in agriculture, burying of nuclear waste, dumping of non-biodegradable waste, industrial accidents leading to the release of hazardous agents to the soil and water containing waste including acid rain that contaminates agricultural land. The essence of studying this topic and uncovering the measures to reduce pollution is to eradicate many health issues a

nd keep the planet safe for future generations.

The world will only be safe if issues relating to environmental pollution are effective dealt with. As the human population increased in the 19th century, many people began moving to urban centers to look for work and amenities. This increased population caused a stretch on available resources especially toilets and waste disposal facilities. In turn, this led to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera that killed very many people. According to (Markham, 1994) by the 1800s, people began to understand that unsanitary living conditions and water contamination contributed to disease epidemics. This caused authorities in these large cities to take notice and began putting in place measures to control waste disposal. However, a larger problem facing them was the waste released from the booming industries at the time. These factories

released much of their waste into the nearest rivers making them highly polluted. This caused an abundance of problems since some of these rivers held aquatic life. Also, some of them were sources of water and people drunk unaware of the harmful effects they were exposing themselves. This water also drained into the soil and spread to far off areas contaminating farmlands and the crops grown in these areas. A lot of people became sick others even dying because of exposure to these chemicals. Studying the topic will come up with the alternatives that can be implemented to deal with waste disposals in rivers and oceans.

During the 19th and part of the 20th centuries, the major source of energy both for domestic and industrial use was coal. This coal was extensively mined and caused a lot of soil to be displaced especially surface mining. However the biggest problem was the deposition of the coal ash which contains high amounts of lead and when this ash was dumped the metal leaked into the soil contaminating it. However as we moved towards the 21st century, the sources of energy shifted away from coal towards other conventional options. The most controversial source of energy is nuclear energy. This energy is produced when nuclei are split in a process called nuclear fission that creates an endless source of energy. This is a very viable alternative seeing as it is a renewable source of energy but the problem is the disposal of nuclear waste which takes a very long time to decay sometimes millions of years. Most of the nuclear waste are buried underground but sometimes it leaks and escapes

into the soil. This becomes a major soil pollution challenge. An example is the Chernobyl nuclear accident, which caused the death of many plants, animals, and people in the surrounding areas. The presence of nuclear material in the soil has a chain effect as the waste is absorbed by the plants which are eaten by animals such as cows which are in turn consumed by people. Through studying the topic, the public will be enlightened on the effects of using sources that pollute the environment and initiate a campaign to invent safer and more environment-friendly sources of energy.

As the world experiences a burst in population, the demand for food also increases exponentially. This causes pressure on the already dwindling agricultural areas to cater for this high demand. Therefore, it is a requirement to produce more on a smaller scale, and the option is genetically modified food as well as the use of chemical pesticides. According to NaturalNews (2016), genetically modified foods degrade and deplete soils of vital minerals and beneficial bacteria, which protect crops from pests, viruses, and other harmful elements. Besides, it has been found out that genetically modified foods require more herbicides and pesticides, which contaminate the soil and damage other natural plants.

Another major cause of soil pollution is the disposal of non-biodegradable waste such as plastic bags and electronics. In many countries, waste is deposited into landfills or deposited on the seabed. Most of these materials do not decay; therefore, soil continuously accumulates corrupting elements. In some developing countries, there are no proper channels for waste disposal thus dumping carelessly everywhere results to polluting the soil. There has been some advancement in

this sector as some countries have banned the use of plastic bags. In some countries, adoption of plastic bags that are biodegradable has been advocated.

If we are to find a way forward, we have to look back and see where we have gone wrong as well as the measures we can take to tackle this issue of soil pollution. According to Uberoi (2003), if we do not mitigate the effects of soil pollution we might end up with a serious pandemic as food supplies dwindle and agriculture becomes unsustainable. This will directly affect us as worldwide starvation becomes a reality and this, in turn, might lead to conflicts over scarce resources. Some nations are taking up measures to fight pollution with international treaties being put in place to curb waste disposal and reduce waste emissions. It is also important to study soil pollution to find the best way to contain the impact in case of accidents like oil spills and engage in research in the best practices to reverse already polluted lands to make them productive again.

In conclusion, since the earliest days of mankind, we have been polluting our environment by disposing of waste without caring about its effect. As our population increased with technological advancement more forms of waste products appeared that were harmful not only to the environment but also directly to humans. The occurrence of many diseases is on the increase as we absorb many of these pollutants into our bodies. According to Merian and Nu?rnberg (1988), an increase in carcinogenic materials in the soil has increased the number of cancer victims in the world making it one of the leading causes

of death. Some nonreversible defects have also been observed. It is, therefore, prudent for humans to come up with ways to reduce the amount of soil pollution occurring and try and reverse some of that which has already occurred. The soil is life. Therefore, its pollution also indirectly affects other areas such as water and the air as the pollutants leak into the waterways and some through vaporization into the atmosphere we inhale it.

  • Markham, A. (1994). A brief history of pollution. New York: St. Martin's Press.
  • NaturalNews, (2016). Seven ways GMO toxicity affects animals, plants and soil. Retrieved 3 March 2016, from http://www.naturalnews.com/038792_GMO_toxicity_digestion_cancer.html#
  • Merian, E., & Nu?rnberg, H. (1988). Carcinogenic and mutagenic metal compounds 2. New York: Gordon and Breach Science Publishers.
  • Uberoi, N. (2003). Environmental management. New Delhi: Excel Books.
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  • Pollution Essay in English for Students

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Essay on Pollution for Students

Being aware of pollution is quite mandatory for all the students these days. In order to become a responsible citizen of the world for future generations, every child should know how human activities are leaving an impact on the environment and nature. This topic is quite crucial. And, school children should learn how to write an interesting essay on ‘Pollution’ effortlessly. Take a glance below. 

A Few Things to Keep in Mind:

Never ever hurry to write the essay.

Think properly and jot down your thoughts before proceeding.

Divide your write-up into a few segments such as - introduction, main body - you can make a few points as per the topic and a conclusion.

Try writing short paragraphs. Short and crisp sentences are also a great way to avoid silly mistakes.

Adding factual data wherever required is important such as year, date etc.|

Essay on Pollution

Introduction.

Pollution has become a very common yet serious issue in today’s world. It has been there in different forms since a long time even before human evolution such as volcanic eruptions, wildfire which lead to various photochemical reactions in the atmosphere. The current concern is that it is rising day by day due to various resources of pollutants. And, one of the main pollutants are humans and man-made machines. It is right to say that pollution is damaging the mother earth severely and we, humans, should play our part to prevent it from happening.

What is Pollution?

Pollution sepsis is the presence of contaminants in the natural environment that causes harm and damage and therefore leads to adverse changes.

Kinds of Pollution

There are mainly three kinds of pollution - 1) Air Pollution, 2) Water Pollution, and 3) Soil Pollution. 

Air Pollution

Air Pollution occurs due to the presence of harmful gases and substances in the air. It is due to vehicle emission, dust and dirt, poisonous gasses from the factories etc. To reduce air pollution, we should use carpooling or public transport rather than using our private mode of transportation whose harmful gas emission only adds to the problem, we should also actively avoid burning trash or other materials etc.

Water Pollution

Water Pollution happens when toxic substances get mixed in various water bodies such as lakes, oceans, rivers etc. Here toxic substances refer to the Chemical fertilizer, Industrial waste, Sewage and wastewater, Mining activities, Marine dumping etc.

Soil Pollution

Soil pollution depicts the contamination of soil due to the presence of toxic substances due to Excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides, deforestation, industrial waste etc . To maintain the soil’s fertility, the government must limit the usage of fertilizers and plant more trees.

There are a few other pollutants causing pollution apart from the aforementioned ones, such as Radioactive pollution. This is one of the rarer types of pollution. It occurs due to the presence of radioactive substances such as the presence of nuclear waste in air, solids, liquids or any other place.

Effects of Pollution on Human Health

Pollution is increasingly having a major effect on the health of human lives. People are gettin g affected by different types of deadly diseases due to the various pollution in air, water and soil. Here are the different diseases humans face due to different pollution.

Due to Air Pollution

Air is an essential part of human life. Humans cannot live without breathing air. But, air pollution causes major damage to human lives. Here are some of the major diseases caused due to air pollution.

Lung cancer

Major coronary heart disease

Respiratory problems

Due to Water Pollution

Water is another source of life. Any living being cannot survive without drinking water. But the continuous degradation and pollution of major water bodies are also causing deadly diseases to humans and animals. It is also affecting marine life. Since water is consumed all the time, it’s pollution is causing a lot of deadly diseases. Some of the major diseases caused by water pollution are as follows:

Hepatitis A

Diarrhoea 

Due to Soil Pollution

Soil is an important part of our lives. The land on which we are walking or travelling is made with soil. Due to all the chemicals mixed with the soil and degradation due to the same, it is inevitable that many harmful chemicals come in contact with our body and cause many skin diseases or in forms of food crops that are planted on such polluted soil. Direct contact can cause a lot of problems for us humans. Some of the major diseases caused due to soil pollution are as follows:

Different types of cancer

Damage of the nervous system due to contact with lead present in the soil.

liver and kidney failure

What are the Different Methods to Reduce Pollution?

The degrading quality of all the important elements like air, water and soil is affecting the lives of many children, adults as well as animals. We need to keep our environment safe and use effective methods to reduce pollution. 

Methods to reduce Air Pollution

Some of the effective methods to reduce air pollution are as follows:

Regulation of air through chimneys: The industries should disintegrate the harmful gas from the air prior to its release from the chimneys. They should check and avoid using harmful gases, which are the major causes of air pollution.

Use of public transport or cycle: If you are travelling to distant places, it is recommended to take public transport. Or if you are going to any shops or buying any garment, it is always better to use your cycle. Public transport can take you to different places along with other people; this will help reduce air pollution. If you can cycle, it will reduce air pollution and another added benefit is that it will keep your health in check.

Reduction of fires and smokes: In the dry season, many people burn plastic, papers, dry leaves, which creates a big fire and smoke that creates a harmful layer of fog suspended in the atmosphere. It is better if you stop burning plastic to reduce smoke.

Methods to Reduce Water Pollution

Some of the effective methods to reduce water pollution are as follows:

Avoid disposing of plastic and waste materials: To keep the water free from any pollution, the first thing is to avoid disposing of any sort of plastics or food waste water material in water. The waste materials get dissolved in the water and harm the aquatic life along with those who drink the water. 

Reduce use of chemicals: you should avoid purchasing harmful chemical products that can get mixed with the water and pollute it. The biggest examples are pesticides and insecticides, which causes a major effect on marine life.

Reduce use of detergents: Detergents have many strong chemicals which can cause the leather to water and wash your clothes. If these detergents get mixed with water, they can pollute the soil.

Methods to Reduce Soil Pollution 

Some of the methods to reduce soil pollution are as follows:

Avoid disposing of harmful chemicals: The industries should avoid disposing of harmful chemicals in the soil. It can change the structure and components of the soil making it an unusable surface of land for vegetation. 

Eat food in biodegradable containers: As you dispose of the food containers in dustbins, it is good to use biodegradable food containers despite using plastic containers, which are harmful to the soil.

Plant more trees: The structure of the soil can be improved by planting more trees. Trees help to hold the soil together and improve the soil quality. Hence we should plant more trees.

How to Reduce Pollution Gradually?

Upon learning about the harmful effects of pollution, it is everyone’s responsibility to take some steps towards prevention. We should be aware of all the possible preventive measures to help reduce every kind of pollution such as to curb air pollution, we should avoid bursting crackers during any festival or using public transport or carpool to reduce air pollution or cutting down the usage of loud loudspeaker, and public honking would help in noise pollution. We should always be aware of this situation and take measures accordingly. It’s us who should be cautious in the beginning and make everyone else surrounding us conscious as well. We should take eco-friendly steps like planting more trees, reducing the usage of plastic, using more sustainable products in the household etc. while talking about the pollution of the entire world, you should always remember that every small step will lead to a bigger impact one day.

In a nutshell, every kind of pollution leaves a huge negative impact on our environment, human lives, animals etc. We, as responsible citizens, must take steps towards a better tomorrow. We must join hands to take various initiatives and fight against this problem. A lot of innocent lives are put in danger due to pollution every day. If we don’t do anything from now on or take a stand to make the earth pollution-free, then the doomsday will be upon us very soon.

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Essay on Pollution for Students and Children

500+ words essay on pollution.

Pollution is a term which even kids are aware of these days. It has become so common that almost everyone acknowledges the fact that pollution is rising continuously. The term ‘pollution’ means the manifestation of any unsolicited foreign substance in something. When we talk about pollution on earth, we refer to the contamination that is happening of the natural resources by various pollutants . All this is mainly caused by human activities which harm the environment in ways more than one. Therefore, an urgent need has arisen to tackle this issue straightaway. That is to say, pollution is damaging our earth severely and we need to realize its effects and prevent this damage. In this essay on pollution, we will see what are the effects of pollution and how to reduce it.

essay on pollution

Effects of Pollution

Pollution affects the quality of life more than one can imagine. It works in mysterious ways, sometimes which cannot be seen by the naked eye. However, it is very much present in the environment. For instance, you might not be able to see the natural gases present in the air, but they are still there. Similarly, the pollutants which are messing up the air and increasing the levels of carbon dioxide is very dangerous for humans. Increased level of carbon dioxide will lead to global warming .

Further, the water is polluted in the name of industrial development, religious practices and more will cause a shortage of drinking water. Without water, human life is not possible. Moreover, the way waste is dumped on the land eventually ends up in the soil and turns toxic. If land pollution keeps on happening at this rate, we won’t have fertile soil to grow our crops on. Therefore, serious measures must be taken to reduce pollution to the core.

Get English Important Questions here

Types of Pollution

  • Air Pollution
  • Water Pollution
  • Soil Pollution

How to Reduce Pollution?

After learning the harmful effects of pollution, one must get on the task of preventing or reducing pollution as soon as possible. To reduce air pollution, people should take public transport or carpool to reduce vehicular smoke. While it may be hard, avoiding firecrackers at festivals and celebrations can also cut down on air and noise pollution. Above all, we must adopt the habit of recycling. All the used plastic ends up in the oceans and land, which pollutes them.

introduction soil pollution essay

So, remember to not dispose of them off after use, rather reuse them as long as you can. We must also encourage everyone to plant more trees which will absorb the harmful gases and make the air cleaner. When talking on a bigger level, the government must limit the usage of fertilizers to maintain the soil’s fertility. In addition, industries must be banned from dumping their waste into oceans and rivers, causing water pollution.

To sum it up, all types of pollution is hazardous and comes with grave consequences. Everyone must take a step towards change ranging from individuals to the industries. As tackling this problem calls for a joint effort, so we must join hands now. Moreover, the innocent lives of animals are being lost because of such human activities. So, all of us must take a stand and become a voice for the unheard in order to make this earth pollution-free.

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FAQs on Pollution

Q.1 What are the effects of pollution?

A.1 Pollution essentially affects the quality of human life. It degrades almost everything from the water we drink to the air we breathe. It damages the natural resources needed for a healthy life.

Q.2 How can one reduce pollution?

A.2 We must take individual steps to reduce pollution. People should decompose their waster mindfully, they should plant more trees. Further, one must always recycle what they can and make the earth greener.

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