Current World Environment

The disposals of municipal solid waste (MSW) in open dumps are a widespread activity around the vicinity of urban area. When rainwater interacts with dumping yards, generate a leachate and percolates through the soil strata and after particular time they pollute the groundwater and soil in the vicinity. In view of this, assessment of soil fertility around MSW disposal site near sangamner city, Maharashtra was carried out. Soil samples (n=16) close to dumping yard and away from considerable distance (controlled samples) were collected and analyzed for parameters like pH, EC, organic carbon, available NPK and boron by using standard methods. The pH, EC, organic carbon, available NPK and boron of soil samples were found to be higher near the dumping site as compared to control samples. The pH of samples was found to be alkaline ranges from 8.1 to 8.8 while EC increases from 0.2 to 8.3 dS/m which is toxic to plants and crops in the nearby area. The percentage organic carbon lies between 0.8 and 12.2. The available NPK was varying from low to medium and boron ranges from 0.5 to 9.7 ppm in the study area. The minimum dispersion was found in pH (0.23) and higher in N (71.61) from standard deviation (SD) value. It was observed that, since the waste was disposed, a number of contaminants readily penetrate and deteriorate the soil in the area. Thus, the disposal of waste should be discouraged and waste management and treatment should be put in place for protection of soil fertility around dumping site near the Sangamner city.