TEHRAN – A bill on soil conservation, proposed to the Majlis (Iranian Parliament) in December 2014, has been finally approved, secretary of environmental policy at the center for strategic studies affiliated to the presidential office has said.

The parliament soon will pass the soil conservation bill, and the country will benefit a comprehensive law on the protection of soil resources, IRNA quoted Mohammad Darvish as saying on Tuesday.

As per the bill, the Department of Environment is the responsible body to deal with business units polluting the soil or even shut down industries contributing to soil contamination, he stated.

According to the law, the violator is not allowed to submit a complaint to the court, he added.

Darvish went on to conclude that in case of final approval, the soil protection bill will be operational since the next [Iranian calendar] year (starting on March 20).

According to Soil Science Society of America, soil provides ecosystem services critical for life, as acts as a water filter and a growing medium; provides habitat for billions of organisms, contributing to biodiversity; and supplies most of the antibiotics used to fight diseases. Humans use soil as a holding facility for solid waste, filter for wastewater, and foundation for the cities and towns. Finally, soil is the basis of nations’ agroecosystems which provides feed, fiber, food and fuel, while Industrial, household, and non-point source pollution jeopardizes the health of the environment and humans. 

FB/MG