What are the causes and effects of soil pollution?

Answer 1

Some causes of soil pollution:

• Runoff from pollutants (paint, chemicals, rotting organic material) leaching out of landfill
• Polluted water discharged from factories
• Oil and petroleum leaks from vehicles washed off the road by the rain into the surrounding habitat
• Chemical fertilizer runoff from farms and crops
• Acid rain (fumes from factories mixing with rain)
• Sewage discharged into rivers instead of being treated properly
• Over application of pesticides and fertilizers
• Purposeful injection into groundwater as a disposal method
• Interconnections between aquifers during drilling (poor technique)
• Septic tank seepage
• Lagoon seepage
• Sanitary/hazardous landfill seepage
• Cemeteries
• Scrap yards (waste oil and chemical drainage)
• Leaks from sanitary sewers

Some effects of soil pollution:

• pollution runs off into rivers and kills the fish, plants and other aquatic life
• crops and fodder grown on polluted soil may pass the pollutants on to the consumers
• polluted soil may no longer grow crops and fodder
• Soil structure is damaged (clay ionic structure impaired)
• corrosion of foundations and pipelines
• impairs soil stability
• may release vapours and hydrocarbon into buildings and cellars
• may create toxic dusts
• may poison children playing in the area

Answer 2

Soil pollution comes mainly from humans who drop, dump, spray and leach an endless array of pesticides, chemicals and waste into and onto the soil. Animals, normally a natural part of the life cycle, can be polluters when herded and contained by humans into large concentrations. Their fesces, urine and natural shedding from animals over tax the Earth's ability to filter the pollutants and consequently, upset the delicate balance of Nature.

The result is that pollutants enter the soil, destroy otherwise native plants and eventually enter the water supply destroying fresh water needed for human survival.

Every state has some kind of soil and water conservation program. These usually involve stopping the pollution then purifying the soil and water.

During the late 70's and 80's many companies were cited for spreading dioxin polluted waste oil on the surface of gravel roads in an effort to reduce dust. Within months, the dioxin began to kill animals as large as horses in nearby training corrals. People also became ill. As a result, the entire town of Times Beach, Missouri was purchased by the federal government and all residents were forced to leave their homes which were subsequently destroyed. The scrap and three feet of surface soil were then burned in specially constructed furnaces which fired at 1,800 degrees.

Following the reclamation, the land was transformed into a park and is believed to be free of pollutants. However, the land is located on the banks of the Meramec River which runs throughout three counties in Missouri. Dioxin has been found many, many miles away from the site.

The best plan is to limit and reduce pollutants before they do damage.