What is the effect of excessive use of chemical fertilizers on the soil?

The over-use of chemical fertilizers can lead to soil acidification because of a decrease in organic matter in the soil. Nitrogen applied to fields in large amounts over time damages topsoil, resulting in reduced crop yields. Sandy soils are much more prone to soil acidification than are clay soils.

What happens when excessive amounts of fertilizer are used?

Fertilizers provide crops with nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen, which allow crops to grow bigger, faster, and to produce more food. However, applying excessive amounts of fertilizer leads to the release of harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the eutrophication of our waterways.

Why are chemical fertilizers harmful to soil?

Though chemical fertilizers increase crop production; their overuse has hardened the soil, decreased fertility, strengthened pesticides, polluted air and water, and released greenhouse gases, thereby bringing hazards to human health and environment as well.

What is the effect of chemicals on soil?

Soil Friability Effect These mineral rich soil crumbs are essential to soil drainage and greatly improve air circulation in the soil. As the chemicals in the chemical fertilizers destroy soil crumbs, the result is a highly compacted soil with reduced drainage and air circulation.

What is harmful for soil?

Lead is also very dangerous but occurs naturally in some soils. Common contaminants in urban soils include pesticides, petroleum products, radon, asbestos, lead, chromated copper arsenate and creosote. In urban areas, soil contamination is largely caused by human activities.

How can toxic chemicals in the soil harm you?

Chronic exposure to benzene at sufficient concentrations is known to be associated with higher incidence of leukemia. Mercury and cyclodienes are known to induce higher incidences of kidney damage and some irreversible diseases. PCBs and cyclodienes are linked to liver toxicity.

How do you fix poisoned soil?

Adjusting the soil pH to as close to neutral as possible will help reduce the negative impact of contaminants. Contaminated soil treatment also includes adding plenty of rich organic matter to the soil and a healthy top-dress of peat moss, compost, or aged manure. This practice will help protect plants from damage.

What are the natural causes of soil pollution?

Causes of Soil Contamination

Industrial waste.
Deforestation.
Excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides.
Garbage pollution.
Climate change.
Loss of soil fertility.
Impact on human health.
Reforestation.

What are types of soil pollution?

Types of Soil Pollutants

Biological Agents. Biological agents work inside the soil to introduce manures and digested sludge (coming from the human, bird and animal excreta) into the soil.
Agricultural Practices.
Radioactive Pollutants.
Urban Waste.
Industrial Waste.

What are the methods to control soil pollution?

Recycling and Reuse of wastes: To minimize soil pollution, the wastes such as paper, plastics, metals, glasses, organics, petroleum products and industrial effluents etc should be recycled and reused. Ex: Industrial wastes should be properly treated at source. Integrated waste treatment methods should be adopted.

How can we promote environmental awareness?

Some practical tips schools can adopt:

Introduce the 3 R’s: reduce waste, reuse resources, and recycle materials.
Organise tree planting days at school and tell them why trees are important to the environment.
Encourage children to switch off all appliances and lights when not in use.

What is the role of student in waste management?

Educate staff and students about using other ways of disposing of waste, such as recycling, reusing and composting. For recycling to work, educating students and staff is essential. Some local councils help schools to set up recycling programmes and educate their staff and students.

What is the role of waste management?

Waste management involves the regular collection, transportation as well as processing and disposal or recycling and monitoring of different types of waste materials. These services can save your business a considerable amount of money, and can also prevent the environment from being harmed.