Soil degradation control and

remedial measures
Submitted by Esra Ghalib
MLA2103
Soil Degradation
• Soil degradation describes what happens when the quality of soil declines and diminishes its capacity to support animals and plants. Soil can
lose certain physical, chemical or biological qualities that underpin the web of life within it.
• Soil erosion is a part of soil degradation. It's when the topsoil and nutrients are lost either naturally, such as via wind erosion, or due to
human actions, such as poor land management.
Healthy soil
• Healthy soil has a good combination of soil structure, chemistry, organic matter content, biology and water permeation for its type.
• A typically healthy soil will be teeming with biodiversity and may include a variety of earthworms, 20-30 types of small arachnids, 50-100
species of insects, hundreds of different fungi and thousands of bacteria species.
• 'There are some things in soils which will be visible to the naked eye, like invertebrates and plant roots,' explains Silvia. 'But there are also
millions of things people won't be able to see like micro-organisms and all the fascinating work they do together.'
• Nowhere else in the world is nature so densely packed. A teaspoon of soil can contain more organisms than there are humans living on
Earth. Healthy soil has a good combination of soil structure, chemistry, organic matter content, biology and water permeation for its type.
The cause of soil degradation and how it affects us
• Soil is not an inert medium but a living ecosystem that is essential to life. It takes hundreds and thousands of years to form an inch of
topsoil, and many more centuries before it is fertile.

• While soil degradation is a natural process, it can also be caused by human activity. In the last few decades, soil degradation has been
sped up by intensive farming practices like deforestation, overgrazing, intensive cultivation, forest fires and construction work.

• These actions disturb soil and leave it vulnerable to wind and water erosion, which damages the complex systems underneath.
• When soil degrades, the processes that take place within it are damaged. This causes a decline in soil health, biodiversity and
productivity, leading to issues at all levels of many ecosystems, and resulting in large environmental consequences such as floods and
mass migration.'

• When natural land such as a forest is converted into farmland, it removes important nutrients and prevents the recycling and
replenishing of organic material.

• It also reduces the amount of carbon the soil can store by 50-75%. With global warming being one of the biggest environmental crises
of our time, this would be a giant step backwards.

• Soil compaction occurs when there is a combination of wet soil and a heavy weight, for example unwieldy machinery in farming.
Networks of tunnels and pores created by various organisms collapse beneath the pressure and air is squeezed out, threatening
underground habitats and the availability of nutrients. Tilling soil also has similar results.
• But it's not just agriculture that is to blame: increasing urbanisation also has a negative impact. The widespread use of tarmac and concrete
prevents water from being absorbed into the ground. This results in the death of millions of microorganisms and can lead to water runoff in
other areas where it may cause flooding and erosion.
• Soil degradation can have disastrous effects around the world such as landslides and floods, an increase in pollution, desertification and a
decline in global food production. One of the biggest threats to our future food security is land degradation and the associated loss in soil
productivity.
• Areas that are most likely to be affected are developing countries which usually provide services and materials to middle- and high-income
countries. Many of the people who live in low-income countries could be forced to leave their homes in search of safety and fertile lands,
resulting in the loss of cultural identity as well as possible economic and political instability in other areas.
• Acknowledging soil for what it is and recognising the irreplaceable role it plays can help us change the way we care for it which is
something that needs to happen now.
How can we mitigate soil degradation?

Many practices can be changed to prevent, and in some cases reverse, soil degradation.
These include simple acts such as leaving vegetation on soil to allow nutrients to return into the earth.
• Communities, farmers and corporations can be educated about sustainable practices to promote respect and responsibility for nature and
reduce their carbon footprint.
• Education can also encourage individuals to grow their own produce, which can foster a curiosity and appreciation for nature, as well as
motivate to protect the planet. It also alleviates some of the pressure experienced by farms to support an ever-growing population.
• Other changes may be harder to establish, such as avoiding monocultures (growing one single crop in a large area), because that would
require lots of farmers to overhaul the way they work.
• However, monocultures can be extremely damaging to the soil - growing the one type of plant in one area of soil means the same nutrients
are continuously being absorbed, which eventually leads to depletion.
• Monoculture also makes soil susceptible to pests, pathogens and diseases which adapt to the unchanging environment and cause devastating
destruction of crops.
• Farmers often end up using chemical products to fight pests and diseases, and fertilisers to try and encourage crops to continue growing.
• While this may work in the short term, it has bigger and wider consequences in the long run. Soil and food are contaminated with unnatural
substances and the surrounding environment. This damages nature further and can cause sickness in both humans and animals.
Here are some solutions:

• Practicing crop rotation allows different plants to grow in an area of soil every year. This allows the soil to replenish itself of nutrients that are
lacking after the growth of one type of plant.
• Agroforestry involves growing crops around trees and other plants such as hedges. Trees create their own microclimate, which is favourable
for crops. They also act as a form of protection against wind and water damage and encourage biodiversity, which keeps ecosystems strong
and healthy.
• Permaculture is a form of sustainable farming that respects nature and its design. It incorporates practices such as creating an integrative space
where beneficial relationships between different organisms can flourish, and avoiding unnatural substances and waste.
• Wind breaks
Artificial and natural windbreaks, such as shrubs, reduce the erosion effects of wind. Plants also have the added benefit of “anchoring” the soil,
reducing the effects of erosion from water.
• Terracing
Terracing of slopes reduces the effects of water runoff and helps conserve rain water.
• Strip farming
• Alternating strips of different types of crops helps reduce the effects of erosion.
• Crop rotation
Crop rotation is the planting of different crops in the same field in a specific order; monoculture is the planting of the same crop. Crop rotation
has been shown to increase the nutrients of the soil, as well as reduce pests and crop disease.
Continued soil degradation directly impacts the environment and our ability to feed a growing global population. At the least, it undermines the
ability to use land optimally, and at its worst, it can lead to desertification, rendering land unusable.
• Build soil organic matter:
To be healthy, soil needs just the right mixture of water, air, minerals, and organic matter. Soil organic matter, made up of decomposing plant
and animal material, is the glue that helps bind soil together and keeps it anchored in place. Research suggests that increasing organic matter
from 1 to 3 percent can reduce erosion by 20 to 33 percent because it increases the water-holding capacity of soil.
• Plant vegetation:
Trees, shrubs, hedgerows, and ground plants can block corrosive wind. Ensuring uninterrupted ground cover, such as through planting cover
crops, also helps bind soil to roots.
• Use erosion control matting:
Also known as an erosion control blanket, this ground covering is often made of open-weave, biodegradable materials that shield the soil and
provide support for growing vegetation on bare ground. This erosion control method is often effective for solar farms and construction sites
where large areas are left barren and vulnerable to wind and water erosion.
• Practice no-till/minimal tillage:
Farmers have been plowing farm fields for centuries, but in recent decades agriculture scientists have helped prove that a no-tillage approach
may offer more benefits. By not disturbing soil, farmers have been able to reduce erosion and runoff, which benefits crop productivity and
water quality. No-till practices can also help reduce the loss of nitrogen and other vital soil nutrients.
• Use grazing practices that reduce erosion:
Rotational grazing is a method that moves livestock from one pasture paddock to the next. Each paddock gets a rest period and is allowed to
regrow undisturbed, which minimizes soil compaction and erosion. Other beneficial practices include installing fencing and stream crossings to
keep pastures safe from degradation.
• More on Cover Crops
• Cover cropping is a centuries-old farming practice that can help boost soil health and protect soil from erosion forces. A cover crop isn’t
planted to be harvested—it’s planted when the soil would normally otherwise be bare, after the cash crop is grown. The primary function is
to protect the soil by keeping it on the ground and maintaining living roots in the soil.
• But cover crops have a number of additional benefits. They provide nutrients to the soil, reducing the amount of artificial and costly inputs a
farmer would otherwise need to add. They increase biodiversity and reduce bacterial and fungal diseases that could harm soil health. They
even fight climate change through carbon sequestration: As plants take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to create organic matter, the soil,
in turn, provides storage for the carbon, serving as what’s called a carbon sink.

• Common types of cover crops include legumes, grasses, buckwheat, brassicas, and rye—some of which can provide an additional revenue
stream for farmers and ranchers. While cover crops are slowly becoming more popular, they currently account for less than 5 percent of
cropland in the United States.
 Soil remediation
• Soil remediation is the application of proven technologies to mitigate and manage risks from contaminated soils that could be harmful to
human health and the environment. Contaminated soil is often the result of historical industrial processes and unregulated waste disposal
practices.
• Although these practices may have been in full compliance with all applicable laws, the negative impact was later realized thanks to
advancements in testing methods. Soil contamination can originate from many sources including chemicals, improper disposal of industrial
wastes, tank, and pipe leaks over long periods of time and spills of products of all types. Contaminants commonly found in soil remediation
projects include solvents, paints, oils, heavy metals, pesticides, and other man-made compounds.
• As laboratory test methods continue to evolve, new compounds at contaminated sites will be identified. These new discoveries will generate
data on compounds we could not see analytically in the past.
• New research discoveries will drive technology advancements in the soil remediation market to address complex clean up issues. Soil
remediation falls into three primary categories: In-situ, ex-situ and other treatment.
• Under each category is a range of specialized technology and methods that may be required for any given project.
• Both in-situ (in-place) and ex-situ (out of the ground) utilize some of the same methods for treating contaminants in soil.
• For contaminated sites with multiple contaminants and complex waste issues, some combination of all three categories may be required to
complete remediation.
• Some commonly used treatment methods are
 physical / chemical treatment, bioremediation and thermal.
• Contaminated sites where in-situ methods are feasible will typically cost less and reduce long- term liabilities that are associated with offsite
disposal. For sites that require an ex-situ remediation approach, the contractor will excavate the contaminated soil and then apply the
appropriate treatment technology.
• By excavating and treating the contaminated soil, the contaminant levels are reduced to allow for the lowest disposal cost or the best reuse
option for the treated soil. Soils contaminated with heavy metals, such as lead, are often excavated and treated onsite to meet the regulatory
thresholds. This allows for a lower disposal cost option at a non-hazardous landfill.

• Other treatment methods include transporting the waste to offsite commercial waste treatment facilities that are permitted to accept
Types of Soil Remediation and the Different Methods Used

• Physical and Chemical Treatment

• Solidification and Stabilization (S/S) is technology that has been widely used for environmental applications for decades. S/S are similar in
that both use treatment reagents to achieve different treatment objectives to address the contamination. The most common reagents used in
S/S include quicklime, Calciment® lime kiln dust (LKD), fly ash, and cement. The cementitious properties of the reagents change the
physical condition of the soil or waste to encapsulate, dry and create a solid matrix. Solidification does not necessarily change the chemical
structure of the contaminants.
• Stabilization refers to the mixing of reagents to chemically reduce the toxicity and the mobility of contaminates in a soil or waste. As stated
with solidification, many reagents used in stabilization processes will also create a dry solid when the process is complete.
• Chemical oxidation uses a variety of liquid and dry reagents to convert contaminates to more stable, less toxic compounds using chemical
reactions. The technology is widely used for in-situ and ex-situ applications as well as in the commercial treatment industry. The methods
for delivering the treatment reagents to the soil will be by deep or shallow soil mixing using specialized equipment, pump and treat systems
or direct injection.
• Thermal Soil Remediation

• Several thermal treatment technologies rely on the addition of heat to vaporize contaminates. In general, thermal treatment uses heat to
destroy or drive off contaminates in the form of gas. The gas is treated further using a variety of methods.

• Low-temperature techniques heat the soil in dryers at temperatures ranging from 300 °F to 1,000 °F. This temperature range can volatize
many soil contaminants before secondary treatment and eventual safe discharge to the environment. Petroleum hydrocarbons are treated
using this method.
• Incineration techniques use high temperatures, ranging from 1,400 °F to 2,200 °F, to process certain soils. Rotary kilns are used for
commercial needs while infrared combustion technologies are often associated with mobile processing systems. Further, circulating and
fluidized bed combustors use rapidly moving air to generate a zone where turbulent combustion takes place. Cement kilns permitted to burn
hazardous waste provide another viable thermal treatment option for some waste types.
• Bioremediation

• Bioremediation of soil uses living organisms to degrade the soil. In essence, the biological activity removes or immobilizes soil pollutants.
Soil bioremediation combines geology, chemistry, biology, and engineering principles. In-situ techniques use micro-organisms or plants to
break down or fixate soil contamination. There are specific bacteria that can reduce certain compounds and certain plant species that can
accumulate contaminates. Several ex-situ techniques use solids or slurries to treat contaminated soil. Most bioremediation projects require
months or even years to complete the treatment process. Costs related to biological remediation are generally lower than other techniques.
There are times when biological treatment may be the only feasible method due to building structures or other obstacles.
Cost of soil remediation

• Every soil cleanup project is unique with distinctive disposal issues and related costs. Experienced, field-proven environmental professionals
should be involved from design to project completion. Performing environmental remediation correctly, the first time, will save time and
money in the end.

• In conclusion, each environmental remediation project is unique and involves many levels of decision-making. From the investigation,
design and approval to the time of actual implementation in the field, a soil remediation project can take months or years for each stage.
Engaging qualified partners and suppliers early in the planning process is critical to the overall success. Early discussions with reagent
suppliers are also important. Logistics, supply, project timing and other technical matters are all factors that require preplanning and
coordination. Bench scale treatability can prove a technology effective, but these studies often disregard the supply side of implementing
the technology in the field. With all the components of a remediation project, proper planning and communication will save time and
money in the end.