Different Ways Pollution Occurs on Land

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), 100 years ago only 15 percent of the world's population lived in urban areas. As of 2010, that number had grown to nearly 50 percent. At the same time, the world's population has increased six-fold. The growth of high-density areas supporting millions of human inhabitants has resulted in land pollution scenarios that were unheard of before the 20th century.

Domestic Waste

• Domestic waste includes solid waste, such as garbage and rubbish. With increases in population and consumption, the amount of solid waste produced by humans can be overwhelming. This has prompted campaigns to control such pollution, geared toward recycling, re-using materials and reducing consumption.

Hazardous Waste

• Hazardous waste is a solid type of waste product that can be dangerous to human health if it seeps into soil or ground water. Examples of hazardous waste include objects that contain mercury, such as thermostats. Other examples found in a typical home environment include batteries and fluorescent bulbs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) closely monitors the amount of hazardous waste, such as radioactive compounds and heavy metals such as arsenic, that industrial manufacturing firms can emit into the environment.

Agricultural Waste

• Agricultural waste, such as pesticides used to increase crop yields, and soil erosion from cutting forested areas for farming, is another source of land pollution. Pesticides can seep into ground water, contaminating the water supply and causing animals and humans to become ill. Soil erosion may result in land becoming unproductive for farming due to loss of top soil. The "Dust Bowl" in the U.S. in the 1930s is an example of how soil erosion due to farming degraded the environment. Soil erosion--which can be exacerbated through the loss of plant cover and trees--can also result in natural disasters, such as mudslides and dust storms.