Soil quality: the current picture and the threats
Threats to soil quality
Diffuse contamination with heavy metals and persistent pesticides occurs throughout the Netherlands. The continuing accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural land constitutes a threat to crop quality and the soil ecology.
- In the province of Zeeland, there are cases of contamination with PAHs that exceed the desired quality standards.
- Concentrations of heavy metals from historical sources are found in the south-east of the Netherlands and in the western peatland areas.
- We find acidification and eutrophication of nature areas in the southern and eastern Netherlands as a result of agricultural emissions.
- In the eastern part of North Brabant, more than 50% of agricultural land is saturated with phosphate.
