1. Effect on Human Health

Considering how soil is the reason we can sustain ourselves, its contamination has major consequences to our health. Crops and plants grown on polluted soil absorb much of the pollution and then pass it on to us. This could explain the sudden surge in small and terminal illnesses.

Long-term exposure to such soil can affect the body’s genetic makeup, causing congenital illnesses and chronic health problems that cannot be cured easily. In fact, it can cause sickness to the livestock to a considerable extent and cause food poisoning over a long period of time. Soil pollution can even lead to widespread famines if the plants cannot grow in it.

2. Effect on Growth of Plants

The ecological balance of any system is affected due to the widespread contamination of the soil. Most plants cannot adapt when the soil’s chemistry changes radically. Fungi and bacteria found in the soil that bind it together begin to decline, which creates an additional problem of soil erosion.

The fertility of the soil slowly diminishes, making land unsuitable for agriculture and any local vegetation to survive. Soil pollution causes large tracts of land to become hazardous to health. Unlike deserts, suitable for their native vegetation, such land cannot support most life forms.

3. Decreased Soil Fertility

The toxic chemicals present in the soil can decrease soil fertility and therefore decrease the soil yield. The contaminated soil is then used to produce fruits and vegetables, which lack quality nutrients and may contain poisonous substances that cause serious health problems to people consuming them.

4. Toxic Dust

The emission of toxic and foul gases from landfills pollutes the environment and causes serious effects on the health of some people. Besides, the unpleasant smell causes inconvenience to other people.

5. Changes in Soil Structure

The death of many soil organisms (e.g., earthworms) in the soil can lead to alteration in soil structure. It could also force other predators to move to other places in search of food.

Several ways have been suggested to curb the current rate of pollution. Such attempts at cleaning up the environment require plenty of time and resources to be pitched in.

Industries have been given regulations for the, aiming to minimize the area that becomes polluted.

Organic farming methods are being supported, which do not use chemical-laden pesticides and fertilizers. Using plants that can remove pollutants from the soil is also encouraged. However, the road ahead is quite long, and soil pollution prevention will take many more years.

Some possible solutions to these effects maybe through reducing uses of chemical fertilizers, reforestation, recycle and reuse of products that are harmful to environment, and promote use of organic manure.