The natural resource soil is the thin layer of organic and inorganic materials that covers the Earth's rocky surface. Soil pollutants like toxic compounds, radioactive materials, salts, chemicals and cancer-causing agents deteriorate the quality, texture and mineral content of the soil. Soil pollutants disturb the biological balance of the organisms in the soil leading to soil pollution. The adverse effect of this contamination is reduced soil fertility affecting plant and animal growth.
Major causes of soil pollution are
• Random use of fertilizers
• Random use of pesticides, insecticides and herbicides
• Disposal of large quantities of solid waste
• Deforestation and soil erosion
Control of soil pollution
Various steps suggested in order to control soil pollution are as follows:
Reducing chemical fertilizer and pesticide use:
As the soil erosion has become a major cause of concern we need to adopt the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle in order to minimize the usage of fertilizers and pesticides.
Biofertilizers are the best alternatives for chemical fertilizers. They are microorganisms which are used to increase the fertility and growth capacity of soil. This process of Biofertilization also reduces the need for pesticides and fungicides.
Recycling of materials:
Recycling and reusing of materials such as glass containers, plastic bags, paper, cloth etc. at domestic levels rather than disposing, reduces the solid waste pollution.
Reforestation:
Wastelands, soil erosion and floods can be controlled by reforestation. Crop rotation and mixed cropping are some of the natural measures which improve the fertility of the land.
Reducing weed growth:
Weeds absorb important minerals from the soil. In order to prevent them we need to cover the soil with numerous layers of wet newspapers or a plastic sheet for several weeks before cultivation. Due to this light cannot reach the weeds and hence they are killed.
Treatment of waste:
Biological treatment of the waste using anaerobic microorganisms, such as methanogens and acetogens is advisable as it helps to break down the soil wastes into a less toxic and biodegradable form.
It is high time the man realizes the importance of the rich top soil and takes the necessary steps to protect it from pollutants.
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