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Water and Land pollution

Production, transportation, and use of oil are all causes of water pollution. Oil spills, for example, leave their surrounding shores uninhabitable for some time. Such spills often result in the intolerable loss of plant and animal life. Coal mining also contributes to water pollution. Coal contains sulfuric compounds, and as water washes through mines, this compound forms a dangerous acid with the water, which is then directed into nearby rivers and streams.

Coal mining, especially strip mining, directly affects the area that is being mined. Most material nearby the area becomes acidic because of the coal mining. When the mining process is entirely completed, the land will remain barren and will not be cropable unless special precautions are taken to ensure that proper soil is used when the area is replanted, which is often not the case in less economically developed countries. Materials other than coal are also brought to the surface in the coal mining process, and these are usually left as solid wastes. As the coal itself is washed, more waste material is left. Finally, as the coal is burned, the remaining ash is left as a waste product.


A so-called strip mine at an unknown location. One can clearly see that the land has been damaged at this site.
Source: www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/govdocs/ text/greatplains/
Introduction
Problems with the use of Fossil Fuels
Global Warming
Air Pollution
Water and Land Pollution
Thermal Pollution
Alternatives
Bibliography