The responsible choice – Soil Remediation
Soil remediation can be described as the removal of pollutants and contaminants present in soil. Soil pollution has hazardous and lasting effects that are far beyond the lush greenery that is present in your back yard. Something as simple as a candy wrapper can have detrimental effects on the soil. Contaminants go through the soil and eventually end up contaminating ground water reserves. This is extremely hazardous as ground water is considered the best source for potable water all over the world. Haphazard uses of herbicides and pesticides as well as industrial waste are some of the main contaminants of soil.
Acid rain is now becoming a common phenomenon and is also considered to be an important contribution towards the contamination of soil.
It is important that steps are taken to rid the soil of contaminants as it can have a detrimental effect on the environment and humans as well. If contaminated soil is used for planting of food crops, the contaminants are absorbed by the plants. These contaminants are then passed on to the actual crop and everyone ingesting them. On a smaller scale, contaminants can limit the growth of edible crops and can damage them. Soil remediation plays an important role in cutting down the amount of contaminants present in the soil and make for a safer and cleaner environment.
The process begins with a thorough examination and analysis of the soil in question. Unfortunately, most people do not want to pay for this process as it is time consuming and expensive. Even so, it is a necessary and vital step. There are various soil remediation processes available. The most common and effective process seems to be that of soil vapour extraction. Through this method, soil and ground water are cleaned of contaminants at the same time. Another extremely effective method is the Multi Phase Extraction process where a combination of purification methods are used together to deliver a safer and cleaner result.
Other widely used processes are the thermal oxidation method which is also known as incineration, the vapour condensation method and the granulated activated carbon method. One or more of these methods are used in soil remediation, though some are considered to be highly controversial as they release emissions into the atmosphere. However, one should consider that educating people soil pollution and its dangerous and hazardous consequences would be far more effective.


