Jairo Herrera Sarmiento

Soil Pollution

Soil Importance sight from Environmental and Sanitary Engineering

J. A. Herrera

Ingenierías y Tecnologías, Universidad Popular del Cesar

Lengua Extranjera III 4A

Esp. Geovany Collantes Sanjuán

27 de septiembre de 2022
 Jairo Herrera Sarmiento
Soil Pollution

Soil Pollution

Soil symbolizes life on the planet, and also, it represents the basis of our food system. For

this, it is necessary to ask this question: How much time does our soil have left to live?

Moreover, soil erosion has yet to be fully recognized. Consequently, everything wrong that

happens to Earth will later fall on your children. The soil is a fundamental part of the balance of

ecosystems. It acts as a filter and buffer by retaining substances, protects ground and surface

water against the penetration of harmful agents, and transforms organic compounds by

decomposing them or modifying their structure, thus achieving mineralization. Unfortunately,

our planet has a restricted space (there is nowhere to go when we have polluted and poisoned it).

Soil pollution will be the biggest killer of humans, animals, and plants in the coming decades.

In essence, the pollution of our soil is one of the most problematic and controversial events.

At the same time, the Earth is a special planet in the solar system, as it currently has an

incredible diversity of life. However, man does not realize that he has an unrepeatable gift from

which he develops his existence. Indeed, the diversity and quality of life here, for the moment,

have not been demonstrated on a nearby planet. The issue of soil contamination is not new, but

today its study requires particular importance. Why? Simply because, now more than ever, man

is destroying the life of our soil. By and large, we overlook the pollution problem, yet this

problem is right under our feet. The soil in which the plants, fruits, and vegetables we eat every

day grow is slowly dying, and we will suffer the consequences in the long run.
 Jairo Herrera Sarmiento
Soil Pollution

All soils, whether contaminated or not, contain various natural compounds (contaminants),

including metals, ions, and inorganic salts and a variety of organic compounds like lipids,

proteins, DNA, fatty acids, hydrocarbons, PAHs, alcohols, Etc. These compounds are formed

from the decomposition of organisms and microbial activity in the soil. Soil contamination

affects plants, animals, and people. Although everyone is susceptible to soil contamination, the

effects of soil contamination can vary according to age, general health, and other factors, such as

the type of contaminants inhaled or consumed. However, children are often more exposed to

contamination because they come into close contact with the soil when playing on the ground.

Combined with lower disease thresholds, this poses a greater risk than adults. Therefore, it is

always essential to test the soil before letting children play on it, especially if people live in a

heavily industrial area.

Nowadays, soil pollution is a problem to which almost nobody gives importance. All humans

pollute in many ways, such as littering. Since it takes years for garbage to degrade, plastic bags

are transformed faster than plastic bottles due to their minimal thickness. In reality, the bags are

made of low-density polyethylene. Mother Nature is going through a difficult and worrying time

for living beings. In particular, the uncontrolled use of fertilizers and pesticides increases soil

degradation and contamination, making it infertile and very disadvantageous for the farming

community. Having said all this, it is in this moment that we look for solutions to counteract the

side effects in the future.

 Jairo Herrera Sarmiento
Soil Pollution

In short, soil pollution is something unimportant for most of humanity since they are not

aware of the damage they cause although we all pollute when we burn garbage or when we

throw tons of garbage a day, and that also pollutes the soil, air, and water. However, big

companies also pollute more because they produce much smoke and all we inhale. However, we

can do things not to pollute as much as using natural fertilizers, unplugging unused electrical

appliances, recycling, reducing and reusing, separating organic waste from inorganic waste, and

we can reduce the use of aerosols, reduce the use of the car, depositing garbage in its place. So in

one way or another, we can help the environment. So let us not make excuses to help our planet.
 Jairo Herrera Sarmiento
Soil Pollution

References

▪ La contaminación del suelo, sus efectos sobre nuestro futuro y qué podemos hacer para

reducirla. (2020, 4 mayo). Iberdrola. Recuperado 25 de octubre de 2022, de

https://www.iberdrola.com/sostenibilidad/contaminacion-del-suelo-causas-efectos-soluciones

▪ 5 razones por las que el suelo es clave para el futuro sostenible del planeta |Sustainable

Development Goals|FAO www.fao.org. (s. f.). Recuperado 25 de octubre de 2022, de

https://www.fao.org/sustainable-development-goals/news/detail-news/es/c/277124/