Understanding Soil Pollution: Causes and Its Impacts on the Environment and Population

Soil pollution has increasingly become an environmental concern with adverse effects on ecosystems, human health, and agricultural productivity. It ideally occurs when anthropogenic waste and hazardous substances contaminate soil; such pressure disrupts ecological processes concerning food security and water security, among others. This study adopts a qualitative literature review methodology to synthesise the existing research, thus clustering insights into three themes: causes, environmental impacts, and impacts on populations. Findings indicate that industrialisation, unsustainable agricultural practices, poor waste management, and urbanisation are the dominant drivers of soil pollution. Such degradation emits persistent pollutants such as heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and agrochemicals. Fertility is damaged by these contaminants in soil, biodiversity is disturbed, and water is polluted, leading to further consequences in the ecosystems and climate stabilisation. The human population get exposed to toxic substances from soil pollution, giving rise to chronic diseases, food insecurity, and economic losses, with the vulnerable group, especially children, the elderly, and low-income communities, bearing the heaviest burden. The proposed measures by the study emphasise integrated responses involving stricter regulation of industrial and agricultural pollutants, promotion of the use of sustainable agricultural practices, and employment of remediation techniques such as bioremediation and phytoremediation. Public awareness and international cooperation are other essential hands to hold in minimising soil pollution. Since this threat is a big global issue, it needs a multi-sectoral action for safeguarding soil health, food systems, and public well-being.

Soil; Pollution; Pollutants; Soil Pollution; Environment; Population; Ecosystem

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