15% of the world’s farmland is contaminated with toxic heavy metals

Recent research reveals that approximately 15% of the world’s farmland poses a threat to food security due to excessive levels of heavy metals like arsenic and cadmium, with South Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa being particularly affected. Cadmium contamination has caused rice in some regions of India to exceed heavy metal limits by five times, impacting the health of hundreds of millions of people. Scientists warn that surging demand for critical metals may exacerbate soil pollution risks.