Dealing with the threats

There are two important issues relating to waste and pollution of soils. Firstly, we need to understand how soils can play a part safely in the management of waste. As noted earlier, some types of waste are very beneficial to soils and their ability to meet their range of functions. Secondly we need to develop a much better understanding and respect for soils. We need to be able to strictly control the additions of waste to soils, limiting them to just the beneficial additions. In many countries now, the damage that can be done to soils by allowing almost anything to be dumped on or in them is beginning to be recognized and strict rules are being set up by some governments to ensure that this is observed as far as possible.

However, in some countries the process of contaminating soils goes on unchecked. Many of the developing countries have yet to put in place strict controls for the disposal of dangerous industrial waste and disposal of such waste is rife. The soils of the surrounding areas of cities and factories are still a dumping ground for often dangerous waste. These become areas where children play and scavenge for objects that can be used. As urban populations continue to grow fast, such areas of contaminated deposits will be built upon or turned into areas for cultivation of food and many will be contaminated. How long it will take these countries to recognize the value of soils and the need to protect them from contamination is difficult to estimate.

We have to be much more aware of the amounts and nature of the waste that we produce, and particularly where we put it. Undoubtedly the soil can play an important part in taking in and dealing with many types of waste. But the addition of waste to soils needs to be regulated in every country. There are hopeful signs that that the more developed parts of the world, which in the past have had a carefree approach to adding to amounts of waste produced, are beginning to recognize that we shall soon run out of ways of disposing of waste. The soil must not become a receptacle for contaminated and polluted waste. It will be important to manage soils sensibly to feed the future population and to maintain the soils of the world so that they are available for the many functions they will need to perform.