Effects and Causes of Soil Pollution

Agricultural

• Reduced soil fertility

• Reduced nitrogen fixation

• Increased erodibility

• Larger loss of soil and nutrients

• Deposition of silt in tanks and reservoirs

• Reduced crop yield

• Imbalance in soil fauna and flora

Industrial

• Dangerous chemicals entering underground water

• Ecological imbalance

• Release of pollutant gases

• Release of radioactive rays causing health problems

• Increased salinity

• Reduced vegetation

Urban

• Clogging of drains

• Inundation of areas

• Public health problems

• Pollution of drinking water sources

• Foul smell and release of gases

• Waste management problems

Control of Soil Pollution

a) Ban on use of plastic bags (below 20 microns thickness) - which are major cause of pollution in cities

b) Recycling of plastic wastes to manufacture many 'remake' items

c) Ban on deforestation

d) Encouraging forest replantation programmes

e) Encouraging social and agro forestry programmes

f) Undertaking many pollution awareness programmes