2. Topics to be discussed about land
pollution
• Introduction
• Sources of land pollution
• Effects of land pollution
• Prevention measures for land
pollution
3. Introduction
• What is land pollution?
Land pollution refers to the deterioration
of the earth’s land surface.
It is the deposition of solid or liquid waste
material on land or underground in a
manner that can contaminate the soil and
underground water, threaten public health
and cause unsightly conditions and
nuisances.
Presence of contaminants i.e a poisonous
or polluting substances within or upon an
area of land causes land pollution.
4. Sources of Land Pollution
• The main sources of land pollution are –
• Increase in urbanisation
• Increase in agricultural land and agricultural activities
• Domestic wastes
• Increased industrial activities
5. Increase in Urbanisation
For urban construction forest land is
used in a large measure and there is a
increase in demand of raw materials
from the forest which leads to
exploitation and destruction of forest
which later on result in soil erosion
and land pollution.
The construction residues which are
non bio degradable and not clearly
settled in the soil undergo chemical
reaction and increase soil toxicity.
6. Increase in agricultural land and
activities
Increase in population increases food
demand which causes more
requirement of agricultural land and
hence destruction of forest land.
Excessive use of chemical fertilizers
and pesticides and the accumulation of
animal manures contaminate the soil.
Illicit dumping of tainted crops on
land is another cause of land pollution.
7. Domestic Wastes
Tons and tons of domestic wastes are
dumped every single day, if all these wastes
are not disposed properly they will damage
the environment and mankind as well.
When the wastes are recycles or burnt in
incinerators the residues which are neither
burnt nor recycled are left in certain areas
as dumping grounds and become a large
source of land pollution.
Improper sanitation system causes sludge
to leak at surrounding soil.
Improper disposal of water from the
houses causes waste accumulation.
8. Increased industrial activities
Emission of poisonous gases which are not
filtered or neutralised, contaminate the soil
texture.
Improper method of degradation at fertile lands
causes soil infertility which leaves soil more
prone to external pollution.
Use of explosives to blow up mines using
machineries which emits toxic by-products and
leaks to the ground.
Industrial wastes from different factories and
mills contribute a lot to land pollution.
Thermal power plants generate fly ash in large
quantity which causes land pollution.
9. Effects of Land Pollution:
Exterminates wild life.
Vegetation that provides food and shelter
is destroyed.
It can seriously disrupt the balance of
nature and in extreme cases can cause
human fatalities.
Pesticides can damage crops, kill
vegetation, and poison birds, animals and
fishes. Most pesticides kill or damage life
forms. For example, pesticides used in an
effort to control or destroy undesirable
vegetation and insects often destroy birds
and small animals .
10. Prevention measures for Land
Pollution
Encourage organic farming.
Proper disposal of wastes.
Recycle of garbage.
Reduced use of herbicides and pesticides.
Avoiding over use of plastics.
Efficient utilization of reducing wastages.
Promotion of RRR (Recycle, Reduce, Reuse)