2023-08-04 21:03:38
The World Health Organization (WHO) released alarming data on environmental contamination: it is estimated 9 million premature deaths per year due to exposure to pollutants.
Contaminated air, water and soil have been linked to a significant increase in respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. The urgency to address this global threat to public health is becoming increasingly evident.
According to the email address of Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (Cetesb), contamination is classified as the “introduction of an undesirable agent into a previously uncontaminated environment” (ACIESP, 1987);
According to the Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP), environmental contamination is defined as “pollution when it reaches levels that cause deleterious effects on human health, or harmful effects on living organisms”. Meanwhile, pollutants are “any substance or energy that, released into the environment, interferes with the functioning of part or all of the ecosystem” (ACIESP, 1987).
In summary, environmental contamination occurs when the levels of a specific substance exceed the values considered “natural”. Pollution, in turn, encompasses all changes in the configuration of the environment, including changes in odor, temperature and structure, which negatively impact soil fertility and cause damage to the environment.
Ground contamination
Chemical substances introduced into the soil by deposition or leaks can cause destruction of these areas. Metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, arsenic, in addition to fertilizers and pesticides, are some of the elements that can cause damage to the Earth’s surface. The inappropriate use of these substances can generate irreversible imbalances for the soil.
An example of this is the discharge of sewage onto land, which is also responsible for soil contamination. In Brazil, approximately 35 million Brazilians do not have access to drinking water, and about 100 million do not have sewage collection services in the country, according to with Agência Brasil.
These data generate consequences for the environment and society, such as ecological imbalance, public health problems, release of polluting gases and clogging of pipes. In addition, they cause erosion problems, such as soil depletion, desertification, region exhaustion, landslides and landslides.
Agriculture and land care
One area that demands care in relation to the soil and the contamination of these lands is agricultural production. There has been an increase in technology and the development of activities such as monoculture, which has an environmental impact by impoverishing the soil and removing the power to recompose the land. This activity generates the extraction of vegetation cover, thus unbalancing the environment.
According to the website of Brasil Escola¸ Poor land management can also have consequences for humans and biodiversity. Mining and prospecting, agribusiness, wood extraction, deforestation, fires and burning, planting and pasture, are among some of the environmental bottlenecks in the rural area.
Contamination of surface and underground water
In the context of agriculture, non-compliance with adequate production parameters in relation to the environment can result in soil depletion.
Farmers often resort to the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which alter the chemical composition of the soil. Such substances can infiltrate the groundwater through water, causing extended consequences for the environment.
In landfills and dumps, the decomposition of waste originates a liquid known as leachate, which has high toxicity to the soil and potential impact on human health, since it negatively affects soil nutrients.
An example that highlights the serious consequences of socio-environmental negligence is the disaster that occurred in Mariana (MG) in 2015. approximately 45 million cubic meters of mining tailings were released into the environmentaccording to the MPF, causing the pollution of water courses in the region, which were essential for the subsistence of many residents.
Measures such as environmental remediation, waste management and its correct disposal, as well as environmental studies applied to investigation of contaminated areas These are some actions that can help mitigate soil and water contamination.
Environmental contamination and risks to human health
Environmental contamination is a significant problem that threatens human health. Air pollution is responsible for about millions of premature deaths each year. Furthermore, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 92% of the world’s population lives in places where air quality does not meet established standards.
Water contamination is also a major issue, with around 2 billion people consuming contaminated water. Illnesses associated with pollution include diarrhea, hepatitis A and cholera.
Likewise, the excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers contaminate the soil and increase the risk of human poisoning.
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