soil pollution
Dirty earth problem
Soil pollution is contamination of land by harmful substances—industrial chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, or improperly disposed waste.
The pollutants degrade soil quality, affecting plant growth, groundwater, and organisms living in the earth.
Soil pollution from the old factory site required extensive remediation before the land could be developed.
Chemicals destroying harmful organisms
- heavy metalsDense metallic environmental contaminants
- agrochemicalsChemicals for agriculture
- industrial wasteByproducts from manufacturing processes
- landfillsEngineered waste disposal sites
sewage · oil spills · lead · cadmium · mercury · arsenic · PCBs · fertilizer runoff
Pollutant concentration in tissues
- crop failureWhen fields yield nothing
- biodiversity lossReduction in species variety
- health hazardsThreats to physical wellbeing
- infertilityInability to reproduce
toxicity · carcinogenicity · birth defects · neurotoxicity · biomagnification · dead zones · habitat destruction
Federal environmental regulator
- SuperfundPolluted site restoration program
- emission standardsLegal limits on pollutants released
- liabilityLegal or financial obligation
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
Exhausting land through excess
- monocultureSingle-crop agricultural system
- tillageSoil preparation for planting
- salinizationIncreasing salt concentration
- acidificationIncrease in hydrogen ions
nutrient depletion · erosion · crop rotation · slash-and-burn · desertification · compaction · waterlogging
Living organisms detoxify pollutants
- decontaminationRemoving dangerous substances
- reclamationRecovery of something lost
- restorationReturning something to condition
- detoxificationRemoving harmful substances internally
thermal desorption · composting · encapsulation · stabilization · chelation · excavation · capping
pesticides
Chemicals destroying harmful organisms
- heavy metalsDense metallic environmental contaminants
- agrochemicalsChemicals for agriculture
- industrial wasteByproducts from manufacturing processes
landfills · sewage · oil spills · lead · cadmium · mercury · arsenic · PCBs · fertilizer runoff · acid rain
bioaccumulation
Pollutant concentration in tissues
- crop failureWhen fields yield nothing
- biodiversity lossReduction in species variety
- health hazardsThreats to physical wellbeing
infertility · toxicity · carcinogenicity · birth defects · neurotoxicity · biomagnification · dead zones · habitat destruction
EPA
Federal environmental regulator
- SuperfundPolluted site restoration program
- emission standardsLegal limits on pollutants released
- liabilityLegal or financial obligation
overfarming
Exhausting land through excess
- monocultureSingle-crop agricultural system
- tillageSoil preparation for planting
- salinizationIncreasing salt concentration
acidification · nutrient depletion · erosion · crop rotation · slash-and-burn · desertification · compaction · waterlogging
bioremediation
Living organisms detoxify pollutants
- decontaminationRemoving dangerous substances
- reclamationRecovery of something lost
- restorationReturning something to condition
detoxification · thermal desorption · composting · encapsulation · stabilization · chelation · excavation · capping
- pollutionsmog, toxic waste, emissions, factory emissions, sewage
- health risksobesity, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol
- Environmental Healthtoxic exposure, hazardous waste, emissions, lead poisoning, environmental impact
- water pollutionsewage, industrial waste, contaminants, algal bloom, toxic waste
- oil spillsoil spill, oil spills, oil slick, tar balls, oil boom
- Soildirt, loam, earth, ground, humus
soil pollutionair pollution
Toxic atmospheric contamination
water pollution · atmospheric pollution · marine pollution · ocean pollution · river pollution
soil pollutionland restoration
Reviving damaged terrain
soil conservation · bioremediation · land reclamation · environmental cleanup · land stewardship
soil, pollution, soiled, soils, topsoil, soiling, pollutant, unsoiled, polluting