Global Threat of Heavy Metal Pollution of Soil

In 2025, The Guardian reported that 15% of the world’s arable land is contaminated with heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium and lead, affecting 1.4 billion people. Cadmium levels in rice in parts of South Asia and Africa are 10 times higher than the limit, leading to the spread of chronic diseases such as “painkillers”. The International Union of Soil Science has warned that, without action, global food production will be reduced by 20 per cent by 2050 as a result of soil degradation.