ES036A - LAND POLLUTION

• Soil


  • The uppermost layer of the Earth's crust, composed of mineral particles, organic matter, water, air, and living organisms. It is a complex and dynamic natural resource that provides the foundation for terrestrial ecosystems and supports life on Earth.
  • serves as a medium for plant growth, regulates water flow and purification, stores carbon and nutrients, and acts as a habitat for a variety of organisms
• Functions of soil

  • Serves as a medium for plant growth
  • Regulates water flow and purification
  • Stores carbon and nutrients
  • Acts as a habitat for a variety of organisms
• Soil horizons

  • O horizon
  • A horizon
  • E horizon
  • B horizon
  • C horizon
  • R horizon
• O horizon


  • outermost layer of the soil. It is split into two sub-horizons.
  • Contains the uppermost materials in the soil like decomposed organic matter. This layer is saturated with moisture due to its exposure to weather and other environmental forces.
• Oi horizon

  • Contains the uppermost materials and decomposed organic matter
  • saturated with moisture due to its exposure to weather and other environmental forces.
• A horizon


  • considered as eluviated soil
  • The organic matter has turned into humus (which is the dark material formed). The humus provides vital nutrients to the soil and acts as a natural type of fertilizer for the plants in the topsoil.
• E horizon


  • The humus that already lacks nutrients and minerals move down into this horizon.
  • When the plants make use of the nutrients found in humus, it starts to become lighter in color and will be pushed further down to become this horizon.
  • The texture of this layer is primarily sand and silt particles.
• B horizon


  Acts as a buffer horizon between the upper layers and the deeper horizons that have more rocks and stones. This horizon tends to have a higher concentration of silicate clay compared to the previous horizon, and also contains an increased amount of minerals, such as iron, aluminum, gypsum, and silica.
• C horizon


  Also called as the substratum, horizon C is the bottom layer of the soil which has unconsolidated earth material. This horizon has not undergone the same soil-forming factors that effected the upper layers of the soil.
• R horizon


  This horizon is not part of the soil, but it is important to recognize because it acts as the foundation of all other horizons in the ground. This is also called as the bedrock which consists of hard, consolidated rocks and stone that are practically impenetrable.
• Importance of soil

  • Supporting vegetation
  • Biodiversity
  • Water regulation
  • Carbon storage
  • Habitat
• Soil types

  • Sandy
  • Clay
  • Loamy
  • Peaty
  • Silty
  • Chalky
• Soil composition (Healthy Soil)

  • Organic matter - 5%
  • Mineral matter - 45%
  • Air and water - 25%
• In healthy soils, it is comprised of 5% organic matter, 25% water, 25% air, and 45% mineral matter. However in compacted soils, it is comprised mainly of mineral matter which contributes to about 74%, 18% is air, 6% water, and 2% organic matter.
• Sources of land pollution

  • Industrial wastes
  • Improper waste disposal
  • Agricultural practices
  • Urbanization
  • Mining
  • Ashes
  • Sewage Treatment
  • Garbage and wastes
  • Construction
  • Deforestation
  • Chemical and Nuclear plants
  • Oil refineries
• Types and sources of land pollutants

  • Agricultural activities (pesticides, fertilizers, insecticides, crop waste)
  • Ashes
  • Industrial wastes
  • Mining
  • Garbage and wastes
  • Sewage treatment
  • Deforestation
  • Construction
  • Chemical and nuclear plants
  • Oil refineries
• Impacts of land pollution

  • Soil contamination
  • Loss of biodiversity
  • Air and water pollution
  • Soil erosion
• Waste management hierarchy

  • Prevent
  • Reduce
  • Reuse
  • Recycle
  • Recover
  • Dispose
• Waste management hierarchy


  • presents a systematic order of managing waste according to what’s best for the environment.
  • A conceptual framework designed to guide and rank waste management decisions at both the individual and organizational level.
• Techniques to mitigate land pollution

  • Plant more trees
  • Cutting down the use of pesticide
  • Waste treatment
  • Create awareness
• Laws or presidential decrees related to soil pollution or management

  • Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (R.A. 9003)
  • Presidential Decree No. 1152, Title IV, Chapter III (Forestry and Soil Conservation)
  • An Act Creating the Bureau of Soil Conservation (R.A. 622)
• Industrialization involves the production of goods through various processes that can release pollutants into the environment, leading to soil and water contamination.
• Oa Horizon

  • Contains more decomposed organic matter that has been sitting on the soil for a longer period of time.
  • This layer is less saturated with moisture compared to the Oi horizon.
• IOS: Supporting Vegetation


  provides essential nutrients, water, and physical support for plant growth, sustaining diverse ecosystems and agricultural production.
• IOS: Biodiversity


  Soil hosts a vast array of organisms, from microscopic bacteria to larger animals, contributing to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
• IOS: Water Regulation


  Soil plays a crucial role in regulating water flow, infiltration, and purification, influencing groundwater recharge, flood control, and water quality.
• IOS: Carbon Storage


  Soil stores a significant amount of carbon, helping to mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
• IOS: Habitat


  Soil serves as a habitat for many organisms, including insects, worms, fungi, and plant roots, supporting complex food webs and ecological interactions.
• Soil composition (Compacted Soil)

  • Organic matter - 2%
  • Mineral matter - 74%
  • Air - 18%
  • Water - 6%
• Land Pollution


  the destruction and contamination of the land through direct and indirect actions of humans. This results in adverse environmental and health effects like erosion, decreasing the quality of soil, ground water poisoning, and losing of essential minerals found in the soil.