Solutions for land pollution

5 Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges Explained

Solutions for land pollution are; sustainable farming practices (like composting), recycling, sustainable manufacturing, afforestation/reforestation, and environmental remediation

This article discusses the solutions for land pollution challenges in the environment, as follows;

 

 

 

 

 

 

1). Sustainable Farming Practices (as one of the Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges)

One of the well-known examples of land pollution is excessive chemical accumulation, which can be caused by unsustainable agricultural practices, among other factors.

Sustainable farming is one of the ways to reduce land pollution and its effects on the environment, especially in areas where agriculture is a prominent land-use.

The reason for this can be understood when we consider the strong link between sustainable farming and soil conservation; where the latter is usually a result of the former [1].

When sustainable farming practices are implemented in a given land area, the risk of land pollution and other negative environmental impacts, decreases exponentially.

This is because such practices aim to protect soil resources by reducing lithic hazards like leaching and erosion, while boosting soil fertility and biological productivity.

Examples of sustainable agricultural practices that serve as potential solutions to land pollution are; composting, cover cropping, conservation tillage, and organic farming.

When such practices are implemented in place of conventional methods, there is generally a lower tendency to depend on chemicals like pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers for pest and weed control, or productivity-enhancement, respectively.

In place of these potentially-harmful chemicals, organic biomass and biological tools/techniques are used, which reduce the risk of toxin accumulation and pollution.

Sustainable farming concepts can also be for remediation of already-polluted land areas. These concepts form the basis of some bioremediation, biostimulation and bioaugmentation techniques like land farming and phytoextraction, where plants and microbes are used to degrade and remove land pollutants [2].

Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges: Sustainable Farming Practices (Credit: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region 2009; uploaded online 2018)
Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges: Sustainable Farming Practices (Credit: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region 2009; uploaded online 2018)

 

 

 

 

 

2). Recycling of Waste

Especially in urban areas, non-biodegradable waste materials are a major cause of land pollution [4].

These materials may be introduced into a given land as a result of indiscriminate disposal activities, or as overflow from inadequately managed landfills, among other waste facilities.

Discussions revolving around inorganic waste and land pollution are often framed within various contexts, topics and environmental issues including plastic pollution and unsustainable manufacturing.

Recycling reduces pollution by controlling the rate at which non-biodegradable materials are disposed as waste.

In areas where recycling is practiced effectively, inorganic materials including plastics are recovered after use, and refurbished for re-use.

This reduces not only land pollution, but other issues like resource depletion; where over-extraction of raw materials causes economic losses and eventual decimation of reserves.

Recycles materials retain their value and conserve resources, while protecting the value and quality of the environment as well. Green economic concepts like the circular economy, are heavily predicated on recycling as a means of achieving sustainability and growth.

Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges: Recycling of Waste (Credit: Marco Verch Professional Photographer 2021 .CC BY 2.0.)
Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges: Recycling of Waste (Credit: Marco Verch Professional Photographer 2021 .CC BY 2.0.)

 

 

 

 

 

3). Sustainable Manufacturing (as one of the Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges)

Manufacturing industries contribute to pollution and environmental degradation by releasing byproducts and waste materials that are potentially harmful to the environment.

In fact, many cases of degradation in aquatic ecosystems like rivers and oceans can be traced to effluents released from factories and other manufacturing stations.

Air pollution can also be traced to manufacturing in many parts of the world, where the conversion of raw materials to finished-products occurs with the emission of toxins and greenhouse gases that alter air quality.

With regards to land pollution, unsustainable manufacturing can degrade land through improper mining and raw material extraction, unsustainable material-conversion, and non-biodegradable packaging.

Manufacturing and production activities that have harmful effects on the environment are mostly those involving the release of unsafe and untreated materials into air, water and soil.

To reduce land pollution caused by manufacturing industries, sustainable solutions can be applied; such as sustainable raw material selection, green energy utilization, and recyclable or biodegradable production.

Using renewable energy for as many aspects of manufacturing as possible, can reduce pollution caused by the use of unclean energy resources like petroleum and coal. Also, the manufacture of sustainable products like biodegradable plastics for packaging, can prevent littering after disposal.

Lastly, sustainable manufacturing is also linked to other circular economic practices like recycling, which also reduce waste accumulation and land pollution.

Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges: Sustainable Manufacturing as a Means of Mitigating Industrially-Induced Degradation of the Environment (Credit: Steve Jurvetson 2021 .CC BY 2.0.)
Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges: Sustainable Manufacturing as a Means of Mitigating Industrially-Induced Degradation of the Environment (Credit: Steve Jurvetson 2021 .CC BY 2.0.)

 

 

 

 

 

4). Afforestation and Reforestation

Deforestation is an environmental challenge that often accompanies land pollution in forested areas.

A classic example of the combined effect of deforestation and pollution on the environment can be observed in forest-based mines. These locations feature the removal of vegetation and pollution of soil as minerals are being extracted from the Earth [3].

To sole the problem of deforestation and land pollution, efforts must be made to regrow, recover or replenish lost vegetation. This is the main objective behind afforestation and reforestation.

Vegetation can help protect land from not only pollution, but also other hazardous factors that can cause nutrient-leaching, erosion or desertification.

Planting trees improves soil health in multiple ways, including through higher rates of efficient carbon sequestration, soil structural maintenance, and water conservation. These benefits extend from soil to the land, and can help reverse problems like pollution.

 

 

 

 

 

5). Environmental Remediation (as one of the Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges)

One of the solutions that are needed to reduce land pollution is remediation.

Remediation of contaminated land is the sum total of all measures, techniques and steps that can be taken or implemented in a deliberate effort to eliminate pollutants in a given land area.

Environmental remedial measures include thermal treatment, vapor extraction, pump and treat, bioremediation and nanoremediation.

Bioremediation is one of the environment-protective measures that help in controlling soil pollution, using biotic tools, organisms and processes. It is linked to microbial (bacteria, fungi) biodegradation of pollutants, and the use of plants (also called phytoremediation) for contaminant extraction [5].

Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges: Environmental Remediation (Credit: USAID Vietnam 2013)
Solutions for Land Pollution Challenges: Environmental Remediation (Credit: USAID Vietnam 2013)

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

Solutions for land pollution are;

1. Sustainable Farming Practices

2. Recycling of Waste

3. Sustainable Manufacturing

4. Afforestation and Reforestation

5. Environmental Remediation

 

 

 

 

 

References

1). Castellini, M.; Diacono, M.; Gattullo, C. E.; Stellacci, A. M. (2021). "Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation." Applied Sciences 11(4146). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/app11094146. (Accessed 6 May 2023).

2). Kafle, A.; Timilsina, A.; Gautam, A.; Adhikari, K.; Bhattarai, A.; Aryal, N. (2022). "Phytoremediation: Mechanisms, plant selection and enhancement by natural and synthetic agents." Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envadv.2022.100203. (Accessed 6 May 2023).

3). Nguyen, H. X.; Tran, H. T.; Pham, H. T. T.; Pham, A. T. V.; Phan, T. T.; Pham, H. N. (2020). "Land Improvement Solutions: Afforestation and Planting Fruit Trees and Short-Term Crops after Mine Closure in Luong Son District, Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam." Applied and Environmental Soil Science. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5189497. (Accessed 6 May 2023).

4). Pearson, C. (2017). "How can we prevent land pollution?" Available at: https://sciencing.com/how-can-we-prevent-land-pollution-13643508.html. (Accessed 6 May 2023).

5). Verma, A. K. (2021). "Bioremediation Techniques for Soil Pollution: An Introduction." Biodegradation. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.99028. (Accessed 6 May 2023).

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