e- Outline the processes and consequences of soil degradation.
Processes
- Mining Processes have led to huge contamination levels of Swedish soil; specifically the spillover of sulphidic materials.
- Industrial processes have contaminated the soil with toxic chemicals.
- There is soil that has been contaminated with PAH (polyaromathic hydrocarbons) and CCA (chromated copper arsenate)
- Erosion in coastal areas is harming the soil in multiple ways. It is caused because of the interaction between the ocean and the soil.
Consequences
- Sulphudic materials are extremely harmful for the environment given that they tamper with the soil's nutrient levels and might local ecosystems that feed off the soil.
- Soil that is contaminated with PAH and CCA can less arable, given that these chemicals are toxic for plant gorwth.
- Erosion in coastal areas may cause landslides. If landslides occur, infrastructure and other human made things such as water and gas pipes. The beaches may also be harmed and reduced as the cliff collapse or wall destruction.
- Humans are facing a health threat because of the industrial contamination in the soil. However, diversity in ecosystems has also been compromised because of this type of contamination.
- Toxic contamination also creates difficulties for potential redevelopments in urban areas.
f- Outline soil conservation measures taken by your country.
- They want to implement a technique that uses alkaline rest product from the paper industry in order to create sealing layers to cure the sulphide-bearing tailings and other sulphidic materials that is present in the soil.
- The Swedish government is providing rescue services, just in case erosion causes a landslide in the coastlines.
- The Government is also planning to design strong infrastructures that will help them survive any potential negative affect of erosion on the soil in which the building stands.
- Finally, they are planning to use thorough planning to create suitable land usage in the coastlines.
- Excavation and land filling are the most common measures taken by Sweden in order to remediate this industrial contamination of the soil. Nevertheless, this is extremely hard to use in lands that are too big, because it is nearly impossible to move a whole agricultural lot. The great problem with industrial contamination lies in the fact that it is very difficult to find a process that cures the soil and is both cost efficient and environmentally friendly. Fortunately, Swedish corporations are working towards finding viable solution.
Works Cited:
"Projects." Projects. Advancing Soil Remedation, n.d. Web. 20 June 2013.
"Coastal Erosion." Swedish Geotechincal Institution. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2013.
"Thread: The Icelandic Commonwealth Mod!" Paradox Interactive Forums RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2013.
"Auckland Council." Coastal Erosion Hazards. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2013.
"Sustainability Issue #2 June 2008." Storms and Flooding Damage the Coast. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2013.
KjellLandmark. "MCN - Northern Sweden Soil Remediation Center." YouTube. YouTube, 10 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 June 2013.
