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Soil Pollution Remedies

Some soil pollution does come from natural sources, such as volcanoes; however, most is man-made. Heavy metals, petroleum products and toxic chemicals create soil problems around the world. In the United States there are sites that require Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intervention. In places like Asia, there is increasing worry about heavy metals from soil pollution being absorbed into crops. Some countries are beginning to take an active role in cleaning up our contaminated earth.

  1. Emerging Remediation Methods

    • In Asia, various techniques are being employed to remedy the problem, depending on the scale of the project, the location of the contaminated area and the current use of the soil. The dilution technique does not eliminate soil pollution, but dilutes pollutants like heavy metals by plowing the soil deeply enough to mix surface soil with subsurface soil. Another technique, called phytoremediation, is a viable solution for reducing pollution and erosion. This method involves planting vegetation that can hold or eliminate pollutants, such as pesticides, petroleum products, explosives, solvents and metals. The alpine pennycress is an example of a plant that has a high absorption rate for cadmium and zinc.

    Superfund Sites

    • A superfund site is an area designated as hazardous due to toxic waste. The EPA oversees the cleanup of these highly toxic sites. Although the EPA investigates the polluters, the agency requires the companies responsible to clean the area. Several methods have been developed to clean up the soil in these cases. Some contaminants are considered biodegradable and can be converted into more environmentally friendly substances with the use of microorganisms. According to Pollution Issues, an organization that provides pollution information and education, microorganisms can break gasoline down to carbon dioxide and water. Another approach to removing soil pollution is to incinerate the soil. In this method, the soil is temporarily removed, heated to burn off the pollutants, and then replaced.

    Composting Remedy

    • Composting works by allowing beneficial bacteria, molds and mushrooms to break down material. When compost is applied to polluted soil, the microorganisms eat the toxins creating more environmentally friendly compounds. Adding worms to soil works in a similar fashion, breaking down toxins in a process called vermicomposting. Adding worms to compost and then combining the mixture with polluted soil increases the absorption of toxins. Combining compost with microorganisms, vermicomposting and phytoremediation provides three levels of detoxification.

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