Land Pollution

Land pollution is anything that damages, contaminates, or deteriorates the land we live on. Factors contributing to land pollution include trash and overfilled landfills, urbanization, deforestation, and mining. Some sources of pollution can lead to others; for instance, deforestation can be the first step in a new construction project, which will create more debris that could pollute the environment. Once the construction is finished, new tenants may move in, bringing more trash and potentially littering.

People have made progress toward a cleaner environment over the past century. Up until the mid-20th century, trash was often disposed of at open dumps, creating piles of waste that would attract rats and mosquitoes and spread foul odors and diseases. Now, we contain our trash in landfills, which has improved sanitation, although this isn't a perfect solution: Landfills can release contaminants into the soil, and the biodegrading waste creates methane gas that worsens global warming.

Effects of Land Pollution

Land pollution can lead to air pollution and water pollution, since the land touches every essential area of the living world.

How Long Does Trash Take to Decompose?

Many objects in our daily lives take years to break down and may not fully decompose at all during our lifetime. This is why reducing the amount of waste we create, reusing materials, and recycling what we can no longer reuse is important for helping our environment.

How Can I Help?

The best way to prevent land pollution is to reduce, reuse, and recycle! It's the simplest thing you can do: Avoid creating waste out of materials that can still serve a purpose. You can also plant a tree if you have the yard space to do so. With so many trees being felled each year, every new tree can replace the ones we lose and can do a lot to help the environment.