The Soil contamination in urban areas of Mexico has reached alarming levels due to uncontrolled growth of cities, industrialization without adequate regulation and poor waste management. This phenomenon seriously affects the quality of soil, groundwater and public health , with consequences that include a number of serious diseases. remediation It is expensive and complex, but essential to ensure the urban sustainability and quality of life of people.
Main causes of urban soil pollution in Mexico.
The expansion of cities has led to the creation of open-air landfills, many of them without the necessary controls to prevent the leachate filtration , which are highly toxic liquids produced when waste decomposes . These leachates contaminate the soil and infiltrate the subsoil, affecting aquifers and, in turn, the drinking water consumed by the population.
Industrial and hazardous waste
He Mexican Geological Service ( SGM ), in its recent report, warned of an impending environmental collapse due to the accumulation of industrial waste. According to the SGM, in Mexico there are generated 73.9 tons of waste per minute , according to the National Council of Municipal Governments and Delegations 2021, but there are few official confinement sites for hazardous waste, all of them far from the main metropolitan areas. This has caused many industries to not properly manage their waste, leading to soil contamination in industrial areas near large cities. (El Universal)
There is limited knowledge and few actions to promote proper land use planning to manage solid, hazardous and radioactive waste (SGM).
This mismanagement includes the release of heavy metals and industrial chemicals, which not only contaminate the soil, but can also release volatile pollutants into the air and come into contact with groundwater, affecting both people and local ecosystems.
Poor solid waste management
In Mexico’s major cities, such as Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, urban solid waste management has been inefficient for years. Landfills do not always have the capacity to handle the millions of tons of trash produced annually, leading to the creation of illegal dumpsites and the proliferation of open-air dumps. These unregulated sites are a major source of soil and water pollution.
The information available is not only basic, but critical for making decisions regarding the care and preservation of the natural environment (including flora and fauna) and human health. The possibility of San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato and Querétaro becoming sites for the confinement of hazardous and radioactive waste is being analyzed.
Data from the National System of Environmental and Natural Resources Indicators show that in San Luis Potosí there are 661 controlled sites and 132 uncontrolled sites. In Querétaro, there are 562 controlled sites and 104 uncontrolled sites; and Guanajuato has 1,721 and 261, respectively. It details that 47% of the confinement is concentrated in six entities: 14.05% in Mexico City; 11.22% in the State of Mexico; 7.25% in Jalisco; 5.50% in Veracruz; 4.84% in Nuevo León; and 4.28% in Guanajuato.
Authorities have identified 156 municipalities without urban and industrial solid waste collection services.
The consequences of improperly locating a confinement site can be "generate high-risk conditions for health and the environment." The lack of recycling and the absence of infrastructure for the management of hazardous waste have aggravated the situation.
Emblematic cases of soil contamination in Mexico
- Mexico City: The case of the former 18 March Refinery is emblematic. This plant, which operated until 1991, left the soil contaminated with high levels of hydrocarbons and other chemicals . Decades after its closure, attempts to remediate the site have been limited, delaying its transformation into a safe public space.
- The main ones petrochemical centers of the country , and its soils have been contaminated by oil and toxic chemical spills . Extremely high levels of pollution have been documented, posing a danger to both the environment and public health.
Consequences for public health and the environment
The soil contamination in urban areas not only has environmental repercussions, but also serious consequences for people's health. contaminated soils They can release toxic substances into the air or drinking water, increasing the risk of respiratory diseases, neurological problems and cancer. In addition, green areas in cities are affected, which decreases the quality of life of their inhabitants.
In environmental terms, the soil degradation leads to the loss of biodiversity, reduced capacity of soil to filter water and the emission of greenhouse gases, thus aggravating climate change . In many cases, remediation of contaminated soils is expensive and complicated, meaning that the problem can persist for decades if urgent action is not taken.
Necessary solutions and actions
The Remediation of contaminated soils It is a difficult and expensive process, but essential to ensure the sustainability of Mexican cities. There are several technologies, such as phytoremediation , which uses plants to absorb contaminants, and the bioremediation , which uses microorganisms to break down toxic substances in soil.
The Soil contamination in urban areas of Mexico It is a major environmental and social challenge. To address it, it is necessary implementing stricter policies, promoting sustainable practices and ensuring greater investment in soil remediation . In addition, it is essential to improve infrastructure for waste management, promoting recycling and ensuring that hazardous waste is handled correctly. It is also crucial to educate the population about the importance of proper waste management and environmental protection. Only in this way can a healthier and more livable future be ensured for Mexican cities.
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