The potential effects of soil contamination on human health include breathing disorders, birth defects, skin diseases, and cancer.

Air pollution, climate change, soil and water contamination… Poor waste management contributes to climate change and air pollution, and directly affects many ecosystems and species. Landfills, considered the last resort in the waste hierarchy, release methane, a very powerful greenhouse gas linked to climate change.

There are many causes of land pollution from the trash we throw away in our homes to waste produced at giant factories. Sometimes chemicals from the trash can contaminate the soil and eventually the groundwater we need for drinking. It can also release toxic chemicals into the air and soil.

Various Causes of Land Pollution

• Deforestation and Soil Erosion. Deforestation carried out to create drylands is one of the major concerns.
• Agricultural Activities.
• Mining Activities.
• Overcrowded Landfills.
• Industrialization.
• Urbanization.
• Construction Activities.
• Nuclear Waste.

According to the World Economic Forum, air pollution was found to be the largest current environmental threat to our public health. Up to 52,000 people die every year in the United States alone because of exposure to emissions from power plant emissions.

Over 1 million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals are killed by pollution every year.

Five animals impacted by plastic pollution and how you can help protect them

• Sea turtles. There are seven species of sea turtles found throughout the world’s oceans and research has shown that all seven have ingested plastic.
• Seabirds.
• Fish.
• Humans.

Here are some of the marine species most deeply impacted by plastic pollution.

• Sea Turtles. Like many other marine animals, sea turtles mistake plastic waste for a viable food source, sometimes causing blockages in their digestive system.
• Seals and Sea Lions.
• Seabirds.
• Fish.
• Whales and Dolphins.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to help wildlife is to preserve the environment in which the animals live. Volunteer with organizations in your area to restore native forests, grasslands, and coastal ecosystems by planting native species, manually removing invasive plant species, and taking out old fences.

Pollution may muddy landscapes, poison soils and waterways, or kill plants and animals. Long-term exposure to air pollution, for example, can lead to chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer and other diseases. Toxic chemicals that accumulate in top predators can make some species unsafe to eat.