Soil Contamination from Construction Projects

Abstract

Soil plays an essential role in carrying out various ecological functions, acts as a medium for plant growth, and is a base for construction works. Soil contamination is a growing environmental concern worldwide due to the rapid rate of urbanization and industrialization. The problem is pronounced in densely populated countries, where land-use intensity is severe due to construction activities. Procurement of buildingmaterials, theirmanufacture, and processing are environmentally destructive processes, and environmental damage has increased due to an increase in demand for individual living spaces. Further, the construction sector releases a huge amount of hazardous and non-hazardous construction and demolition waste, which negatively impacts the environment through contamination of soil and water. Urban agriculture carried out on contaminated soil leads to an elevated concentration of toxic elements in crops, and consumption of these crops poses a potential health risk to human beings. Construction materials both in existing structures and in new ongoing projects influence the soil on which the construction has been carried out and the soil in its vicinity. In this chapter we elaborate on the different construction and building materials, and how their extraction, manufacture, and usage negatively impacts the soil.