Iran Experiences Annual Soil Erosion of 16 Million Tons

The Deputy of Human Environment at Iran's Department of Environment stated that Iran faces an annual soil erosion of 16 million tons, which is 6 to 8 million tons higher than the global average. On Saturday, April 21, during the World Earth Day ceremony, Saeed Motasaddi described the soil erosion trend in Iran as 'concerning.' According to Motasaddi, all soil around Tehran is 'contaminated' with pesticides and fertilizers, and this pollution has 'entered the people's food supply.' He added that 'soil salinity' in Iran is increasing due to excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, while the nutritional quality of the soil is declining. He stated that 'the excessive consumption of certain materials puts immense pressure on the soil, leading to soil impoverishment and consequently the instability of the country's resources.' In another part of his speech, he reported that 30 to 40 percent of food products in Iran are turned into waste, noting that 'food is produced using the country's water and soil resources, but during harvesting, distribution, and transportation, it becomes waste.' He also mentioned that 'the waste incineration fever has engulfed our society, with even the smallest cities seeking incinerators. This is our biggest mistake at this juncture.' Some researchers believe that the soil erosion trend could become the largest environmental crisis in Iran in the future. Cyrus Bakhtiari, a researcher in soil erosion and water resources in Iran, stated in June 2015 that soil erosion in northern Iran's forests is ten times the global standard. Ismail Kahrm, known as the father of Iran's environment, also announced in 2012 that Iran ranked first in soil erosion globally in 2011. Kahrm identified deforestation and loss of vegetation cover as the main causes of soil erosion in Iran. In late last year, Masoumeh Ebtekar, head of the Department of Environment, stated that 'unfortunately, many of the country's pastures have turned into deserts, and Iran is moving towards increasing desertification and soil erosion.' On January 7 of the same year, Ebtekar noted that 'the rate of soil erosion and drought is significantly higher than global rankings; in other words, our situation in these two areas is worse than the global situation.' In May 2015, the Iranian government approved a bill titled 'Soil Protection,' which is awaiting approval from parliament. This bill includes penalties for addressing soil degradation and pollution. Masoumeh Ebtekar expressed hope in March 2017 that with the approval of the Soil Protection bill, direct intervention by the Department of Environment in protecting this area would be possible. According to Ebtekar, 'the approval of this bill would be very effective as a deterrent against soil degradation and pollution.'