How Does Soil Pollution Affect Your Health?

Pollution Concentration

Even if an area is not exposed to a high dose of toxins at any given time, over years it can accumulate dangerous levels of soil pollution. Certain pollutants such as heavy metals do not degrade over time, and can build up in the upper layers of the ground. Others may leach down into the ground water, contaminating vital water sources.

Heavy Metals

Heavy metals accumulate in the top few inches of soil, where they can leach into feed grain that is consumed by animals. The heavy metals stay in the bodies of those animals, and higher-order predators (such as humans) receive even higher concentrations. Heavy metals can damage nearly every area of the body including the blood, kidneys, liver and nervous system. They can also cause serious developmental problems in children.

Dioxins

Dioxins are byproducts of bleaching paper, producing pesticides and other industrial processes that contribute to soil pollution. They are released in the air and can settle in the soil, where they accumulate in animals like heavy metals do. Dioxin soil contamination can lead to nerve and liver damage, as well as several types of cancer.

Pesticides, Fertilizers and Other Agricultural Products

Agricultural products can have a wide range of harmful effects on human health. Some pesticides can damage the nervous system, while others promote the development of cancer or harm the normal functioning of the endocrine system. Many fertilizers contain toxic levels of heavy metals, which contribute to heavy metal poisoning.

References

• Environmentalpollutioncenters.org: Poisoning Pollution Soil Facts
• Greenpack.rec.org: Soil Pollution
• Atsdr.cdc.gov: Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry

Resources

• Epa.gov: Human Health Effects of Pesticides
• Pirg.org: Toxic Fertilizers