Global soil degradation has been accelerated by the industrialisation that took place in the past centuries. Soil can be contaminated by a number of factors, such as incorrect disposal of waste, landfills, oil spills, or nuclear contamination.
Composting should be able to treat soils that have been contaminated by oil or organic materials. However, the increased use of industrial chemicals has resulted in a large amount of polluted soil. Polluted with substances like hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and a range of dioxins. Of all the soil that is dug up, about 45% of it is polluted with non-oil substances. Unfortunately, composting cannot treat these compounds.
These soils are usually thrown away and left there. This is a shortsighted and unsustainable solution. Bioremediation, the process of treating soil with natural organisms and other techniques, has made it possible to be optimistic about the ability to regenerate soil over the long term.
These innovative soil-cleaning techniques are at the cutting edge of innovation.
Phytoremediation
The technique uses trees and plants to remove soil pollutants. Planting species such as leguminous, willows and birches can allow pollutants to be drawn up by the plants’ above-ground parts. The plants can be cut down and destroyed away from the site.
Fungi
Finnish researchers have discovered a sustainable method of cleaning soil using fungi. Instead of sucking up pollutants for harvesting, the fungi alters their makeup. The mycelia of the fungi is then left to grow, which pollutes the compound and breaks it down. For more on Remediation Contractors, visit https://soilfix.co.uk
Bacteria
Some bacteria are resistant to arsenic and can also neutralise and clean up polluted soil. Bacteria could be used to remediate soil contaminated with uranium and other radioactive substances.