Land and Soil

UNO environment WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF LAND AND SOIL POLLUTION? Unsafe storage of hazardous chemicals and Uncontrolled dumping of waste from: households, industrial plants, mining Poor Leachates from Improper solid waste agricultural practices mismanaged landfills management nuclear waste DID YOU KNOW? Every year exposure to pesticides takes the lives of 3 million people. 42 African countries lose 12.3% of their Gross Domestic Product because of land degradation. In Europe alone, an estimated 340,000 land sites are contaminated and likely require remediation; another 150,000 sites are contaminated in 50 low- and middle-income countries. The full global extent of the problem is unknown. About 16% of China's soil and 19% of its arable land is contaminated with substances including cadmium, nickel and arsenic. Pesticides represent 16 of the 22 chemicals targeted for elimination or restriction by the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants. Pollinating insects harmed by pesticides provide services worth an estimated €153 billion a year. As many as 25 million agricultural workers worldwide experience unintentional pesticide poisoning each year. The annual cost of land degradation and desertification is $127 billion. HEALTHY SOILS Regulate Cycle nutrients Support plant and animal Filter water flow pollutants O diversity and productivity GROWING FOOD ON UNCONTAMINATED SOIL HELPS FIGHT HUNGER AND PROVIDES SAFE FOOD IMPACT OF POLLUTED LAND AND SOIL ON PEOPLE ECOSYSTEMS Loss of biodiversity Nervous Cancer systems Bees Butterflies Lungs Digestive systems Reptiles Mammals Sterility and other reproductive disorders Kidneys Birds Toxic fodder Birth Immune systems defects HELP US CLEAN UP OUR LAND AND SOIL III Urge your government to clean up Buy organic foods Invest in long-term environmental monitoring following industrial closures contaminated sites Establish guidelines for the reduction and efficient use of fertilizers and pesticides in âgriculture Reduce the use Adopt agro-ecological practices such as integrated pest of antimicrobials, including antibiotics in the livestock sector management JOIN THE MÓVEMENT. #BEATPOLLUTION unenvironment.org beatpollution.org