Land pollution

Land pollution

What Is Land Pollution?

Land pollution is the contamination of the land through the dumping of waste and garbage and the introduction of toxins into the environment. Acid rain, the spreading of water pollution to surrounding beaches and riverbanks, litter and even new construction sites can all be sources of land pollution.

What Effects Does Land Pollution Have?

Some of the effects that land pollution leaves behind are obvious ones, such as unsightly piles of garbage, landfills and loss of environments surrounding new construction. Many of the worst effects are actually less obvious to the eye.

Chemical Effects on Life

One of the biggest threats to the Eco-system caused by land pollution is chemical contamination. Plastics, toxins in wastes like anti-freeze and other chemicals seep into the ground where they remain. Many modern day chemicals and materials either do not biodegrade or break down, or if they do, then break down into smaller chemical particles. These particles poison the ground itself. Plants growing in the ground, animals that eat the plants and even humans are all affected by these chemicals. This can lead to the loss of some types of plant and animal life as well as create long-term health problems such as cancer in humans.

Damaging Effects to the Land

When land pollution is bad enough, it damages the soil. This means that plants may fail to grow there, robbing the Eco-system of a food source for animals. Eco-systems may also be upset by pollution when the soil fails to sustain native plants, but can still support other vegetation. Invasive weeds that choke off the remaining sources of native vegetation can spring up in areas that have been weakened by pollution.