Land Pollution
What is it?
Land pollution is pollution of the Earth's natural land surfaces that is mostly caused by human activity when waste is not taken care of properly. These activities include:
Land pollution is pollution of the Earth's natural land surfaces that is mostly caused by human activity when waste is not taken care of properly. These activities include:
- Domestic
- Industrial and Commercial
- Another industrial activity that plays a huge role in land pollution is mining. When people mine, huge holes are dug and mining waste can be left behind. These poisonous wastes can get into the soil and pollute the surrounding land. Mining not only disrupts landscapes, but communities as a whole.
- Agricultural
- Pesticides and herbicides are the two most common agricultural products that can be damaging to the surrounding land. Although they are used to help the plants grow and to ward of insects, they can wash into the soil and become very damaging for the surrounding area.
Facts about Land Pollution
- Every year one American produces over 3285 pounds of hazardous waste.
- Land pollution causes us to lose 24 billion tons of top soil every year.
- Americans generate 30 billion foam cups, 220 million tires and 1.8 billion disposable diapers every year.
- We throw away enough trash every day to fill 63,000 garbage trucks.
- Every day Americans throw away 1 million bushels of litter out their car window.
- Over 80% of items in landfills can be recycled, but they’re not.
Prevent!
- Recycle garbage- reuse any items that you can
- Buy biodegradable products
- Store all liquid chemicals and waste in spill-proof containers
- Eat organic foods that are grown without pesticides and encourage organic farming
- Don’t use pesticides and herbicides
- Use a drip tray to collect engine oil
- Buy products that have little packaging, avoid over packaged items