SOIL CONTAMINATION

CAUSES OF CONTAMINATION

• When pollutants get in the air, it mixes with the water in the atmosphere to produce acid rain which can contaminate the soil.
• In agricultural activities, farmers use pesticides that use chemicals that are non-biodegradable and will not break down naturally, which will contaminate the soil over time.
• Biological waste contains chemicals and is put in landfills where it can seep into the soil around it and contaminate the area.

EFFECTS OF CONTAMINATION

• The dust from the contaminated soil can circulate through the air into our lungs and affect the health of people.
• Plants grown in contaminated soil can absorb the pollution in the ground and affect us through the food that we eat.
• Soil contamination will also affect the rate that plants grow which will go on to cause more loss of biodiversity.

SOLUTIONS

• Start to reuse and recycle instead of throwing away non-biodegradable materials.
• Farmers could reduce the use of pesticides and find other alternatives for farming more organically.
• Buy and use biodegradable products so that it can breakdown naturally in the environment.