Posted on: Jun 24, 2025 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

How Land Pollution Affect Human Health Today

Land Pollution Affect Human Health

The land pollution affect human health in ways that often go unnoticed but have far-reaching consequences. In contrast to air or water pollution that makes headlines, land degradation mostly remains unseen to the general public, yet it imposes a huge burden on our health.

How Land Pollution Affects Human Health

Land is more than where we live. It's where we grow our food, raise our kids, and build our communities. The repercussions are personal and often permanent when that land becomes a toxic dump. Here’s how land pollution affects human health:

1. Soil contaminated with pollutants means food contaminated with pollutants

Contaminated soil attracts dangerous chemicals, heavy metals, and waste residues. These toxins are absorbed by plants and find their way onto our tables.

Eating food produced from such soil implies taking in toxins without knowing, which can disturb hormonal balance, harm the liver, and even impair fertility in some instances.

2. Skin and breathing issues

In area around dumping sites or open trash dumps, children and adults with long-term skin rashes, allergies, or respiratory issues are common.

In dry, hot weather, soil particles carrying contamination can become airborne, triggering asthma, bronchitis, and other chronic diseases.

3. Water contamination through ground seepage

Trash on the ground does not simply remain on top of the earth; it seeps into the groundwater. The contaminated water subsequently seeps into taps and wells, particularly in rural India. This leads to an increased incidence of water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, kidney and digestive issues.

4. Financial burden

Repeated doctor visits, medication, and tests can strain a family's finances.

5. Mental health and social deprivation

Communities living near toxic land or dumpsites face emotional and psychological strain. Living in unhygienic conditions also increases social marginalisation, especially among lower-income groups.

Conclusion

The harm caused by land pollution is more than the naked eye can perceive. It impacts our food, our water, and eventually our health.

We need to think differently about land use and treatment. Whether it's demanding improved waste management, financing environmentally-friendly industrial processes, or making more intelligent consumer decisions, every move counts.

You should also ensure that your health insurance policy covers the expenses of diseases that could be caused by environmental exposure.


Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.


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