Soil pollution is the contamination of soil by chemicals, waste, or pathogens. It comes from industrial spills, pesticides, fertilizers, mining, and improper waste disposal. Heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury are common contaminants. So are petroleum products, solvents, and plastics. The pollution can persist for decades.

The effects are widespread. Contaminated soil harms plants and the animals that eat them. Crops absorb toxic metals, which then enter the food chain. Children playing on polluted ground can ingest lead dust. Groundwater beneath contaminated soil becomes undrinkable. The cleanup is expensive and often incomplete.

Prevention is cheaper than remediation. Regulating industrial discharges, managing waste safely, and limiting pesticide use reduce contamination. Phytoremediation uses plants to extract heavy metals from soil. Bioremediation uses microbes to break down organic pollutants. These methods work slowly but avoid the destruction of excavation. The best approach is to stop polluting in the first place.

Common contaminants

• Heavy metals
• Petroleum products
• Pesticides and herbicides
• Industrial solvents
• Microplastics