Solutions to land pollution

How to improve soil quality?

Land pollution is a heavy topic. With its direct impact on the environment and consequently on the health of humans, animals, and plants, soil pollution is a real problem that involves both political powers and citizens. Soil is not a renewable resource. Its degradation can be rapid (a few years or decades) while it takes several thousands of years to form and regenerate. What causes land pollution, what are its effects and what are the possible solutions to prevent it?

01. Definition

What is land pollution?

Land pollution refers to all forms of pollution affecting any type of soil: agricultural, forestry, urban, etc. Soil pollution is a disruptive element for many biological resources and ecosystems.

A soil is polluted when it contains an abnormal concentration of chemical compounds potentially dangerous to human health, plants or animals.

There are different types of land pollution:

Agricultural land pollution
Chemicals
Solid waste

02. Causes

Land pollution Causes

Human activities are the main causes of land pollution:

Agriculture: agricultural activities are one of the major sources of land pollution. The spreading of plant protection products such as pesticides and herbicides, as well as the emissions of livestock buildings and farms are at the origin of soil pollution, in particular by nitrogen and phosphates.
Deforestation: because of deforestation and forest fires, soils lose their vegetation cover. The erosion process is thus accelerated, creating soil degradation as well as water pollution. Deforestation leads to the loss of the land’s value as, once converted into a dry or barren land, it can never be made fertile again.
Urbanization: urbanization is another source of land degradation. The artificialisation of soils can cause a rapid and consequent carbon depletion, which contributes to climate change. Besides, it fragments natural habitats, ecosystems and landscapes, affecting biodiversity.
Mining: mining waste is usually left behind in the form of spoil tips. These pit heaps can contain a wide variety of toxic substances that then seep into the ground as a result of rain. This can have a big impact on the regeneration of the vegetation.
Industrial waste: heavy industry often produces quantities of undesirable chemicals. If cleaning agents such as detergents are released irresponsibly, they can cause significant pollution on the ground. Storage tanks can also be a major source of land pollution in case of leakage.
Waste disposal: we produce large quantities of household waste every year, many of which could and should be recycled or degrade naturally. Much of our waste is either incinerated - causing potential air pollution issues - or buried in landfills, causing soil pollution problems.

03. Impacts

Land pollution effects

Soil pollution can harm public health and animals, as well as the quality of groundwater and surface water. Its effects are of several kinds, namely deferred or immediate, but also direct or indirect.

On the environment: contamination of groundwater, loss of topsoil, water nutrient enrichment and increased risk of wildfires (because of the dry conditions created by the pollutants in the soil) are among the consequences of land pollution.
On wildlife: as land pollution and soil erosion progress, animals are forced to shift habitats and adapt to new conditions. As a result, some species are at risk of extinction.
On human health: the potential effects of soil contamination on human health include breathing disorders, birth defects, skin diseases, and cancer.

04. Solutions

Land pollution solutions

The Solar Impulse Label is granted to innovative land pollution solutions that meet high standards of sustainability and profitability. Each solution goes through a strict assessment process performed by independent experts.

Jan 2021

GFK4new

An innovative new recyclate made from glass fiber reinforced thermoset waste

Industrial Processes & Consumer Goods
Utilities (Water, Energy, Waste)

May 2020

Off-grid sustainable sanitation

Waterless flush toilets and sanitation solutions for everyone, everywhere

Buildings & Constructions
Utilities (Water, Energy, Waste)

Mar 2021

Straight From the Farm

An innovative platform delivering fresh food from the farm to the table

Agrifood & Natural Environment

Apr 2020

RecyNET

A process for high-density polyethylene net recycling

Agrifood & Natural Environment
Utilities (Water, Energy, Waste)

05. Implementations

Land pollution solutions implementations

Geolife Programs for Chemical-Free Agriculture by Bioma SA implemented by Farm Bangerter in Gampelen (Switzerland) in 2018

Urban & Ocean Plastics Carbon Recycling by Enerkem implemented by Varennes in Québec (Canada) in 2020

ARA by Ecorobotix SA implemented by L&L Ag in Wilder (United States) in 2024

Renewable protein by Kyanos Biotechnologies implemented by B2B in Toulouse (France) in 2016

SunScreen by TechSafe Industries implemented by VINCI Autoroutes in Tours (France) in 2020

LOCAL3 by REPLACE implemented by City of Sainte-Menehould in Sainte-Menehould (France) in 2021

Anaerobic bio-digester to proceed organic waste by ENWISE implemented by Auchan in Shanghai (China) in 2017

Liquids Bulk Expert by Jean Bouteille implemented by L'Occitane en Provence in Manosque (France) in 2021

Recyc Leather Innovative Material by Recyc Leather implemented by Ganni A/S in Copenhagen (Denmark) in 2024

GREENOVA by CleanGreens Solutions SA implemented by Domaine Mattines in Perly (Switzerland) in 2020

GREENOVA by CleanGreens Solutions SA implemented by Green Life in Adbali, Kuwait (Kuwait) in 2023

Environmental DNA (eDNA) by NatureMetrics implemented by MSC Cruises in Geneva (Switzerland) in 2023

Environmental DNA (eDNA) by NatureMetrics implemented by Gridserve in Iver (United Kingdom) in 2024

Dryad Silvanet by Dryad Networks GmbH implemented by South Pole group in Berlin (Germany) in 2022

Dryad Silvanet by Dryad Networks GmbH implemented by Vodafone in Madrid (Spain) in 2023

Smart Prepregs by CompPair Technologies Ltd. implemented by Innosuisse in Lausanne (Switzerland) in 2023

06. Conclusion

Land pollution prevention

How to solve land pollution? Here’s a list of soil pollution solutions:

Cleanup: environmental remediation consists of removing pollution from the soil, groundwater or surface water. Bioremediation (microbes) and phytoremediation (plants) can be used to convert the pollutants into harmless products. These are natural solutions that need to be supported by in-depth actions.
Green agriculture: sustainable agriculture is essential as it is meant to control the impact on the cultivated environment, by minimizing the external contributions (phytosanitary products), by diversifying the cultures and by using biological treatments.
Sustainable forest management: conservation of the forests is key. Without the protection of the trees, the land becomes dry and starts to erode. Therefore, sustainable forestry or logging is crucial to saving the soil from pollution.
Proper waste disposal: be it for industrial or household waste, efficient waste disposal is one of the most effective ways of curbing land pollution. This especially applies to toxic and hazardous waste disposal.
The "3 R's" Rule & Education: reducing the use of non-biodegradable products will lower plastic pollution and eventually have an impact on land pollution. This is why it is very important to reuse and recycle every possible item. Education should also play a major role in efforts to protect the environment from land pollution.

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pauline.michiels@solarimpulse.com

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