LAND
Land Pollution
The deterioration of Earth’s land features and soil,
directly or indirectly.
• It is often caused by human activities and the
misuse of land resources which could lead to
undesirable changes in land, like soil erosion.
• It also refers to an activity that lessens the
quality and/or productivity of the land as an
ideal place for agriculture, forestation,
construction, etc.
Various Causes of Land Pollution
1. Deforestation and Soil Erosion
• Deforestation carried out to create drylands is
one of the major concerns.
• Land that is once converted into dry or barren
land can never be made fertile again, whatever
the magnitude of measures to redeem it is.
• Land conversion, meaning the alteration or
modification of original properties of land to
make it use-worthy for a specific purpose, is
another major cause.
• there is a constant waste of land
2. Agricultural Activities
• Farmers often use toxic fertilizers and pesticides
to get rid of insects, fungi, and bacteria from
their crops.
• However, with the overuse of these chemicals,
they result in contamination and poisoning of
soil.
3. Mining Activities
• During extraction and mining activities, several
land spaces are created beneath the surface.
• We constantly hear about land caving in, which
is nothing but nature’s way of filling the spaces
left out after mining or extraction activity.
4. Overcrowded Landfills
• Garbage like aluminum, plastic, paper, cloth,
wood, is collected and sent to the local recycling
unit.
• Items that cannot be recycled become a part of
landfills that hamper the beauty of the city and
cause land pollution.
5. Industrialization
• Due to an increased demand for food, shelter,
and house, more goods are produced.
• This resulted in the creation of more waste that
needs to be disposed of.
• To meet the demand of the growing population,
more industries were developed, which lead to
deforestation.
• Research and development paved the way for
modern fertilizers and chemicals that were
highly toxic and led to soil contamination.
6. Urbanization
• Many of us may not classify human settlements
as “land pollution;” however, urbanization
marks a significant change to the landscape that
can cause land pollution in a variety of subtle
and not-so-subtle ways.
7. Construction Activities
• Due to urbanization, a large number of
construction activities are taking place, which
has resulted in huge waste articles like wood,
metal, bricks, and plastic that can be seen by
naked eyes outside any building or office which
is under construction.
8. Nuclear Waste
• The leftover radioactive material contains
harmful and toxic chemicals that can affect
human health.
• They are dumped beneath the earth to avoid
any casualty.
9. Sewage Treatment
• A large amount of solid waste is leftover once
the sewage has been treated.
• The leftover material is then sent to the landfill
site, which ends up polluting the environment.
10. Littering
• People just throw their garbage on the ground
without caring about the adverse effects on the
environment.
• A common instance is that people just throw
their cigarette butt on the ground every time.
Disastrous Effects of Land Pollution
1. Soil Pollution
• Soil pollution is another form of land pollution,
where the upper layer of soil or the topsoil’s
composition is damaged or altered.
2. Groundwater Poisoning
• When harmful substances from industrial
processes like chemicals are improperly
disposed on the land or in illegal landfills or
storages, the chemicals and other substances
could end up in the groundwater system.
3. Drinking Water Problem
• Drinking water is highly affected by land
pollution.
• Nearly 50% of the world’s population does not
have access to safe drinking water, and each
year water-based diseases cause up to 10
million deaths.
4. Change in Climate Patterns
• The effects of land pollution are very hazardous
and can lead to the loss of ecosystems.
• When land is polluted, it directly or indirectly
affects the climate pattern.
5. Environmental Impact
• When deforestation is committed, the tree
cover is compromised.
• This leads to a steep imbalance in the rain cycle.
A disturbed brain cycle affects a lot of factors.
6. Effect on Human Health
• The land, when contaminated with toxic
chemicals and pesticides, lead to potentially
fatal problems like skin cancer and the human
respiratory ailments in particular.
• The toxic chemicals can reach our body through
foods and vegetables that we eat as they are
grown in polluted soil.
7. Causes Air Pollution
• Landfills across the city keep on growing due to
an increase in waste and are later burned,
which leads to air pollution.
8. Distraction for Tourists
• The city loses its attraction as a tourist
destination as landfills do not look good when
you move around the city.
• It leads to a loss of revenue for the state
government.
9. Effect on Wildlife
• They face a serious threat with regards to the
loss of habitat and natural environment.
• The constant human activity on land is leaving it
polluted, forcing these species to move further
away and adapt to new regions or die trying to
adjust.
• Several species are also pushed to the verge
extinction, due to no homeland.
10. Water Nutrient Enrichment
• Chemicals that are frequently used on
agricultural farms, such as nitrogen, end up
benefitting the crops only in a small proportion.
• The rest ends up in water populated by fish,
algae, and other lifeforms.
11. Wildfires
• When land areas are polluted, they usually
become quiet dry. The dry conditions created
by pollutants in the soil create the perfect
environment for wildfires and increases the
probability of wildfires dramatically.
• The fires can grow quickly because of the dry
conditions and widening area of polluted land,
thereby harming the whole environment and
killing plants, animals, and even humans.
Solid Waste
Solid wastes are all the wastes arising from human and
animal activities that are normally solid and are
discarded as useless or unwanted.
Types of Solid Waste
Industrial Waste – produced by mines, farms or
agriculture, and industries that supply people with
goods and services.
Municipal Solid Waste – often called garbage or trash,
which consists of the combined solid waste produced by
homes, institutions, small businesses, and workplaces
other than factories.
Sources of Solid Waste
1. Residential
• Wastes that are generated from living
households, generally contain non-hazardous
solid wastes; kitchen waste, found usually at
home.
2. Agricultural
• These are solid wastes due to agricultural
activities: food residues, animal dung, crop
residues, etc.
3. Commercial
• Wastes generated from business establishment:
food establishments, shops, etc., that generate
generally non-hazardous waste such as paper,
cardboard, wood, metals and plastic.
4. Industrial Wastes
• It is from various types of industrial processes.
The nature of the waste depends on the type of
industry and kind of raw material involved.
There may be toxic and hazardous wastes that
have adverse effects to the environment.
5. Institutional Solid Waste
• Generated from public and government
institutions: offices, religious institutes, schools,
universities, etc.; generally, not hazardous.
6. Hospital Solid Waste
• Discarded, unwanted solid wastes from
hospitals. It consists of both non-hazardous and
hazardous waste.
Solid Waste Disposal
1. Open Dumping
• Generally, solid waste is spread over a large
area, providing sources of food and shelter for
flies, rats and other vermin.
2. Controlled Tipping/Burial Sanitary Landfill System
• It differs in ordinary dumping in that the
material are placed in a trench or other
prepared area, adequately compacted, and
covered with earth at the end of the working
day.
3. Incineration
• Incineration is a process of burning the
combustible components of garbage at
temperatures high enough to destroy
contaminants. It reduces volume of waste by
20-30% of original volume.
Mining
• Is the extraction of valuable minerals or
geological materials from the surface or under
the surface of the Earth.
• Mining products usually have high economic
value and are particularly useful to mankind.
• Examples of these products are metals like
copper, gold, and zinc as well as gems like
rubies, sapphires, and diamonds.
Environmental Impacts
Some of the environmental impacts of mining include:
• Soil erosion
• Sinkholes
• Loss of biodiversity
• Contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface
water
• Increase in carbon emissions
Laws Governing the Mining Industry
• Republic Act No. 7942
Also known as the Philippine Mining Act of
1995, this law aims to promote proper
exploration, development, utilization, and
conservation of our mineral resources through
the combined efforts of the government and
the private sector.
• Republic Act No. 7076
This act is also known as the People's Small-
scale Mining Act of 1991. Its main objective is to
promote small-scale mining activities and give
access and more opportunities for small-scale
miners to partake in the land's natural
resources.
Possible Solutions to Land Pollution
• Refuse
• Reduce
• Reuse
• Recycle
*Education is the key to mitigate the land pollution problem.
AIR 3. Nitrogen Dioxide
• It is a highly reactive gas which is emitted by
*Clean Air Asia, which started monitoring air pollution motor vehicles, industrial processes, gas
in the capital city this year, also recorded a 51% to 71% heaters, and gas stove tops.
decrease in PM2.5 levels in three areas of Manila for the • It contributes to the formation of ground-level
last week of April when compared to the period before ozone as well as particulate matter pollution.
the lockdown. • It is one of the gases that causes acid rain when
it reacts with water in the atmosphere.
Air Pollution 4. Carbon Monoxide
• It occurs when large quantities of harmful • It is an odorless and colorless gas that forms
substances that include gases, particles (both from incomplete combustion of carbon in fuels.
organic and inorganic), and biological agents are 5. Sulfur Dioxide
introduced to Earth’s atmosphere. • A highly reactive gas with pungent smell, sulfur
• Though it could only be concentrated locally in dioxide is emitted from fossil fuel combustion
a particular area, it is considered a global health by powerplants and other industrial facilities.
hazard because it can easily spread into Earth’s
atmosphere. Ozone Layer
• Ozone (O3) plays an important role by
Classification of Pollutants protecting living organisms from harmful UV
1. Primary Pollutants radiations.
These are air pollutants that are emitted directly • It is found 20-40km up (the lower stratosphere).
from a source. • Ozone is around 2-8ppm, about 90% of the
• Carbon Monoxide ozone in the atmosphere is found in this “ozone
• Carbon Dioxide layer”
• Sulfur Dioxide • oUV-C radiation can be blocked by normal O2
• Nitrogen Oxides • oUV-B radiation is blocked by the ozone layer
2. Secondary Pollutants • oUV-A radiation enters the atmosphere.
It forms when other primary pollutants react in the
atmosphere. Types of UV Radiation
• Sulfur Trioxide • UV-A (400-315nm)
• Hydrogen Peroxide not a major problem. It can only cause minor
• Nitric Acid sunburn after a long time of exposure.
• Nitrates and Sulfates
• UV-B (315-280nm)
Major Air Pollutants causes sunburn and can kill sensitive creatures
1. Particulate Matter in the sea.
• Also known as particle pollution and is not a
• UV-C (280-100nm)
single pollutant, but rather a mixture of many
chemical species. damages DNA and skin rapidly and is very
• Particle pollution mainly comes from motor harmful
vehicles, wood burning heaters, and industry.
• Vacuum UV (100nm-10nm)
2. Ground-Level Ozone
• It is the main component of smog and is the extremely high energy radiation found in space
product of the interaction between sunlight and and is absorbed by nitrogen.
emissions from sources such as motor vehicles
and industry.
Skin Protection from UV Rays
• All skins produce a dark colored pigment
(melanin) when exposed to UV radiation.
• Melanin absorbs the radiation and stops it from
penetrating to the tissue below.
• Dark skinned people have a lot of this pigment
in their skin, so are harmed less by UV radiation.
CFCs Depleting Ozone
• CFCs (chlorofluorocarbon) from fridges and
aerosols are stable compounds which does not
react and just passes through some gases as it
goes up.
Effects of Ozone Depletion
1.Human Health and Structures
• Worse Sunburns
• More Eye Cataracts and Skin Cancer
• Immune System Suppression
2. Food and Forest
• Reduced yield for some crops
• Reduced seafood supplies due to smaller
phytoplankton population
• Decreased forest productivity for UV-sensitive
tree species
3. Wildlife
• More eye cataracts in some species
• Shrinking populations of aquatic species
sensitive to UV radiation
• Disruption of aquatic food webs due to
shrinking phytoplankton populations
4. Air Pollution and Climate Change
• Increased acid deposition
• Increased photochemical smog
• Degradation of outdoor painted surfaces,
plastics, and building materials
Noise Pollution
• Noise is any loud or unpleasant sound that may
cause disturbance.
• The level of sound is measured in decibels (dB).
• Soft sounds like the rustling of leaves register 20
to 30 decibels.
• Louder sounds like thunderclaps are at 120
decibels. The sound of a siren or a gunshot can
reach up to 140 decibels.
Light Pollution
• Light pollution is defined as the excessive use of
artificial light which can cause serious
consequences to both humans and the
environment, including the flora and fauna
around us.
Types of Light Pollution
1. Light Clutter – excessive grouping of lights which
causes distraction.
• Street lights
• Brightly-lit signs
• Billboards
• •Advertisements
2. Glare – is the visual sensation you experience when
stray light in your field of vision is greater than the light
to which your eyes are adapted. It can cause:
a. Diminished contrast
b. Reduced color perception
c. Decreased visual performance
3. Light Trespass – also known as spill light, occurs when
illumination from a light fixture is projected beyond a
property line.
4. Sky Glow – can originate from both natural and
artificial sources, but mismanaged man-made lighting is
the primary source. It is caused by light being emitted
directly into the sky where it is scattered by dust and
gas molecules, creating an orange glow in the night.
How to Reduce Light Pollution
1. Start with natural darkness. Only add light for
specific purpose.
2. Use smart lighting controls
3. Keep lights close to the ground directed and
shielded.
4. Use the lowest intensity lighting
5. Use non-reflective, dark-colored surfaces
6. Use lights with reduced or filtered blue, violet
and ultraviolet wavelengths
BIOMES
Biome is a level of ecological organization that is
distinguished by the average annual temperatures and
the amount of the annual precipitation that they
receive.
• The different bodies of water cover about 70% of
the Earth’s surface and the rest are covered with
land where 31% of it is occupied by forests.
• The world’s forests are classified according to
climatic conditions, seasonality, geographic
location, and their leafing.
• Natural forests are classified into major types,
which is based on their age and structure.
FOREST
TYPES OF NATURAL FOREST
1. Old-Growth Forest
These are forests that have not been disturbed by
natural and human activities for more than 200 years.
2. Second-Growth Forest
Forests that replace an old- growth forest that is
disturbed or cleared due to human activities and
natural forces.