Ecosystems

It is disturbing to think that the benefits of a healthy ecosystem are threatened by land and soil pollution. Hazardous chemicals in the soil can potentially wipe out living organisms in the soil. These organisms help to break down organic matter in the soil and help aerate the soil. A polluted land or soil will therefore not be able to support the plants and animals that depend on it in keeping food chains intact.

Water sources

Anytime it rains, water washes the surfaces of these polluted lands and runs off to nearby water sources. All the dangerous chemicals and harmful litter such as plastics, glass, and metal pieces are washed into water bodies. These make the waters unsafe for consumption and also harmful to animals that live in the water. In addition to this. Chemicals in the soil are leached further down into the water table, thereby polluting them in the process.

Vegetation

Vegetation plays a vital role in climate control, food, water purification, shelter, and so on. The activity of mining, industry, landfills, and the like are destructive to vegetation and threaten the benefits that vegetation provides.

Health

There are many pollutants in soils that can be very harmful when exposed to humans over long periods. For example, pollutants in soils such as Arsenic found in pesticides, mining of gold, lead, and copper are toxic when exposed to humans. Prolonged exposures to humans may cause arsenic poisoning. They can also cause skin, heart, liver, some kinds of cancers, and neurological damage.

Environments

Landfills, littered communities, and places with dirty landscapes are generally not attractive to tourists and visitors. This means such communities usually miss out on the value and benefits of tourism and investment. In some cities, there are bad smells, lots of rats, mice, and insects that spread diseases. These animals thrive in dirty places. Governments spend a lot of money cleaning up and managing trash and the polluted landscape. That money could have been used for other things such as healthcare and education. Many landfills are always burning, and they cause further air pollution.