Land Pollution

People across the globe have been facing a number of health problems caused due to the pollution of land, water and air. Talking about land pollution, it has some of the most devastating effects on both nature and living beings. Land pollution is characterized by the contamination of Earth's surface, where humans and other creatures live. One of the major causes of land pollution is human activities. Given below is complete information about the main causes and harmful effects of land pollution. Causes of Land Pollution by Human

* Increase in urbanization is one of the major causes of land pollution in Cambodia. Construction uses up forestland. Since Cambodia is a developing country, this leads to the exploitation and destruction of forests. There is more demand for water. Reservoirs are built resulting in the loss of land. In urban areas redevelopment has been a major cause of forced evictions. In Phnom Penh alone, 133,000 people, or 11% of the population, were estimated to have been evicted from their homes between 1990 and 2009. Rural landlessness, often caused by forced evictions, rose from 13% in 1997 to 20-25% in 2007 12. Of serious consequence is the fact that evictions increase the vulnerability of women to further acts of violence. A long-term advisor to the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC) estimates that, partly because of such evictions, a minimum 100,000 landless and land-poor households need land (Mueller, 2011). * The disposal of non-biodegradable wastes, including containers, bottles and cans made of plastic, used cars and electronic goods, leads to the pollution of land. Citizen lack of knowledge of disposal, the laws isn’t strict enough. * Agricultural wastes including the waste matters produced by crop, animal manure and residues of the farm land are one of the major causes of land pollution. The pesticides and fertilizers used by farmers to increase the crop yield whereas the farmer is over-using it due to lack of skilled in farming, leaches into the nearby land areas and pollutes them. * The process of mining leads to the formation of piles of coal and slag. The mining is increasing to supply the increase of population. When these wastes are not disposed through proper channel, they are accumulated and contaminate the land. * Industry is developing in Cambodia, its wastes are major contributors of land pollution. Dumping of toxic materials such as chemicals and paints makes the areas surrounding the industries, look very filthy. * Improper treatment of sewage leads to the accumulation of solids, such as biomass sludge. These solid wastes overflow through the sewage, making the entire area look dirty. * Although domestic and industrial wastes are collected and recycled or burnt in incinerators, a large amount of rubbish is left untreated. These are then dumped into grounds, leading to land pollution. While the law isn’t obeyed so the industrial can just dispose the trash whereas they want to. * Garbage dumped by people makes the streets unhealthy, unfit and dirty to reside in. The waste matter usually consists of leftover food, fruit and vegetable peels and other non-decomposable solid materials such as glass, cloth, plastic, wood, paper etc.
Cause of Land Pollution By Nature

Many natural processes can create soil pollution. They include: * Erosion: The natural processes of erosion can lead to severe pollution as sediment finds its way into streams, rivers and oceans. As the sediment dumps into the oceans, it can upset fragile aquatic eco-systems and marine life. * Floods: A raging river swollen by heavy rain too quickly create land pollution. Rivers that run over the banks into communities (example like Mekong river) sweep away automobiles, homes, propane tanks and hundreds of other pollutants that eventually find their way into the soil once the waters recede. * Heavy metals: Many people are surprised to learn that soil can be contaminated from natural elements such as heavy metals that include lead, arsenic, chromium, selenium and cadmium. These can also leach into water supplies; however, the instances are fairly rare. * Radon: This is a serious pollutant gas that appears naturally in soil as a result of the uranium breakdown process. When inhaled, this gas can cause lung cancer. * Storm erosion: Natural disasters such as tornadoes destroy manmade structures and carry contaminates and hazardous materials into waterways and oceans. These pollutants disrupt the natural order of marine life and aquatic systems. It rarely happens in Cambodia though.

Harmful Effects of Land Pollution * Tons of domestic wastes are dumped every day. Since people do not follow proper methods for the disposal of such wastes, it leaves the places look dirty and makes them unhealthy. * Land pollution indirectly affects the respiratory system of human beings. Breathing in polluted dust or particle can result in a number of health problems related to the respiratory system. * Skin problems are often diagnosed due to land pollution. It is said that the improper disposal of household wastes leads to allergic reactions on the skin. * Land pollution has been found as one of the leading causes for birth defects. Pregnant women living in unhealthy and dirty environment can incur breathing problems and a number of diseases, which may affect the health of the baby as well. * Land pollution often disrupts the balance of Nature, causing human fatalities.