A review of soil pollution around municipal solid waste landfills in Iran and comparable instances from other parts of the world

Abstract

In many parts of the world, landfills are the primary method for disposal of municipal solid waste. Waste generation in cities of developing countries is increasing as a result of rapid urbanization, lifestyle changes, and demographic growth. Environmental pollution is getting worse due to the lack of development in implementing advanced waste management and disposal techniques, especially in developing countries such as Iran. Waste generation and disposal are major contributors to the presence of various types of pollutants in soil, such as potentially toxic elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as microplastics. It is critical to constantly monitor these pollutants since they are harmful to human health as well as the natural environment, including water, soil, plants, and animals. The primary goal of this study was to examine recent studies on soil contamination near landfills in Iran and comparable instances from other regions of the world. In addition, some potential future study directions have been presented in order to develop and establish sufficient monitoring of contaminants in soils around landfills.