Land pollution is the deterioration (destruction) of the earth’s land surfaces, often directly or indirectly as a result of man’s activities and their misuse of land resources.

It occurs when waste is not disposed of properly. It can also happen when humans throw chemicals onto the soil in the form of pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers during agricultural practices. The exploitation of minerals (mining activities) has also contributed to the destruction of the earth’s surface.

Since the Industrial Revolution, natural habitats have been destroyed, and environments have been polluted, causing diseases in both humans and many other species of animals. It is important to understand that land pollution is not just littering, although it is a part of the issue. Land pollution is a rather bigger issue. It is more of an industrial issue, involving big oil refineries, and industries that manufacture chemicals, herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers used in farming. It also involves illegal dumping of waste in landfills and so on.

Human actions have also caused many large areas of land to lose or reduce their capacity to support life forms and ecosystems. This is known as land degradation. Note that land degradation can result from many factors, and land pollution is only one of them.

In the lesson, we shall see more about land pollution, the sources of land pollution, its consequences, and a few things we can do to prevent further pollution and protect our environment.