Land Pollution

Land pollution is not only enemy of land but also of entire habitat of land be it human being, animal or plant. Whatever process, activity, violation, offence or something like that directly or indirectly pollute the land either its surface, its underground, mountains, valleys, cities, towns, villages, roads, bridges, highways, subways, railways etc is called land pollution.

The causes of land pollution are many but we here enumerate most important of them:

·         Solid waste mismanagement
·         Hospital waste mismanagement
·         Chemical waste dumping
·         Industrial waste dumping
·         Wanton use of chemical fertilizer
·         Undue use of pesticide
·         Water logging and salinity
·         Use of plastic bags for carrying small items

Solid waste mismanagement is common in countries where civic system is weak or obsolete. In most of the underdeveloped countries the entire civic system is working on parameters of older times when there was not load of civic waste or garbage and life was not so advanced to make people use everything in package and
packets. However, after the development of consumption culture most of the waste is generated by packets, packages, tins, cans, disposal bags, boxes, bottles etc. Moreover, easy life style of people has also added generation of solid waste and now every thing is available ready-made in the market and its user individually adds solid waste on earth.

Hospital waste mismanagement is another contributor in land pollution where entire garbage of hospitals and clinics is not properly disposed off and is thrown open on earth which eventually hits the natural features of land and makes it less fertile and weaker in strength. Hospital waste is of two types one is infectious waste which must be disposed off through appropriate technology before final disposal because whoever comes into its direct contact may fall prey of infectious disease; the second one is non-infectious hospital waste which may be disposed off like normal civic waste. Infectious waste includes used syringes, blood bags, bandages, human waste and refuse, sharps, pathological waste etc

Industrial waste if not properly disposed off at designated landfill sites may also add in land pollution by directly affecting the soil features. In industrial process a lot of generated waste is of hazardous in nature and if not properly managed could also affect the health of people.

Chemical waste is produced in chemical manufacturing industrial units and can pollute the land. Similarly wanton use of chemical fertilizer may mar the fertility of soil and may eventually lead to less productivity. Similarly unjustified use of pesticide and insecticide may also affect land’s natural features.