FAO Releases Alarming Report on Soil Pollution

Untreated urban waste is amongst those human activities that contaminate our soils. Credit: Hermes Rivera on UnsplashBy Maged SrourROME, May 4 2018 (IPS)Soil pollution is posing a serious threat to our environment, to our sources of food and ultimately to our health. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warns that there is still a lack of awareness about the scale and severity of this threat.  FAO released a report titled “Soil Pollution: A Hidden Reality” at the start of a global symposium which has been taking place 2-4 May, 2018 at FAO headquarters, participated by experts and policymakers to discuss the threat of soil pollution in order to build an effective framework for a cohesive international response. Background: What is soil pollution?“Soil pollution refers to the presence of a chemical or substance out of place and/or present at a higher than normal concentration that has adverse effects on any non-targeted organism. Soil pollution often cannot be directly assessed or visually perceived, making it a hidden danger” states the FAO report. As a “hidden danger” right below our feet, soil pollution turns out to be underestimated affecting everyone – humans and animals.The FAO report warns that this dangerous phenomenon should be of concern worldwide. Its consequences are not limited to the degrading of our soils: ultimately, it also poisons the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Soil pollution signifi...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Conferences Crime & Justice Development & Aid Energy Environment Featured Food & Agriculture Global Global Governance Green Economy Headlines Health Humanitarian Emergencies Poverty & SDGs TerraViva United Nations Water & San Source Type: news