Soil pollution is caused by industrial activity, agricultural chemicals, urban waste, and harmful pesticides. The main sources of soil pollution are industrial wastes like fly ash from thermal power plants; domestic, commercial, and biomedical wastes disposed in landfills; excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides; and dumping of waste in places like near the Bandra–Worli Sea link in Mumbai. Soil in areas like Haryana has lost fertility due to overuse of fertilizers. Biomedical waste from hospitals can include infectious organic materials and metals that pollute the soil.
2. Soil Pollution
Soil Pollution is the presence of xenobiotic
(human-made) chemicals or other alteration in
the natural soil environment. It is caused by
Industrial Activity, Agricultural Chemicals,
Urban, Commercial & Domestic wastes,
Biomedical wastes & harmful Pesticides.
3. Sources of Soil Pollution
Industrial Wastes
Wastes (urban, commercial &
domestic)
Chemical Fertilizers
Biomedical Waste
Pesticides
4. Industrial
Wastes
Industrial waste is the waste produced by industrial activity which
includes any material that is rendered unless during a
manufacturing process such as that of factories, mills, mining
operations, tanneries and textile mills.
THERMAL POWER PLANTS generate a large quantity of ‘Fly Ash’.
(Ash produced in small dark flecks by the burning of
powdered coal or other materials and carried into the air).
Huge quantities of these contaminate the soil.
5. Calgary, in Canada where a neighborhood built on an
old Imperial Oil refinery needed their soil replaced due to
contamination.
6. Domestic Waste
Domestic wastes are disposal of household wastes
like paper, food, plastics, metals, rubber, glass &
ceramics.
These wastes are disposed in bins and finally taken to
garbage dumping grounds, causing bad & pungent
smells.
Non-Biodegradable materials like
polythene bags, footwear, etc.
8. Commercial
Waste
Wastes mainly from markets and other places
of trade or business.
For Example waste generated from Ac’s , TV’s ,
coolers etc.
Indirectly polythene bags provided by a few
shops also contribute to commercial waste.
11. Chemical
Fertilizers
A chemical fertilizer is a substance applied to soils or
directly onto plants to provide nutrients optimal for
their growth and development.
The excessive use of chemical fertilizers create
POLLUTION .
Sometimes the water in the soil gets contaminated
due to the synthetic organic pollutants.
Examples: Ammonium Nitrate, Ammonium
Sulphate, Nitrogen, Potassium & Phosphorus.
12. Pesticides
A pesticide is any substance used to kill,
repel, or control certain forms of plant or
animal life that are considered to be
pests. Eg: DDT
Pesticide residues change the chemical
properties of soil and accumulate on the
soil permanently and introduce these
toxic materials into plant products.
13. The soil in Haryana has started to lose
fertility due to excessive use of fertilizers
14. Biomedical Waste
Biomedical Waste is waste that is either
putrescible or potentially infectious.
Mainly hospital wastes like organic
materials, chemicals, metal, needles,
plastic & etc.
Intestinal parasites constitute the most
serious soil pollution problems .
18. QUESTIONS (Round I)
What do you mean by Fly Ash?
Where in Canada where a neighborhood built on
an old Imperial Oil refinery needed their soil
replaced due to contamination?
What do you mean by domestic? In which
country is it very common?
What do you mean by commercial waste?
19. Round II
Where in Mumbai is waste (commercial) is seen
to spoil the Landscape? What step had been
taken to remove this?
Distinguish between chemical fertilizers and
Pesticides?
Give one example of each .
What has lead to the contamination of soil in
Haryana?
What do you mean by Biomedical Wastes?