The Nord Pas-De Calais is split traditionally between
agricultural and industrial regions. Each has its own unique relationship to
the soil.
The Potato and Soil Acidity
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| Photo Credit:http://www.fao.org |
The agricultural portion of the region enjoys a favorable
relationship to the soil. A small crescent of the region's water and soil is slightly
acidic, with a PH between 5.5-6.5 as demonstrated by the map above, making the land ideal for potato growing. Potatoes
are the largest agricultural export from the region, and account for half of
the potatoes consumed in France. The export of potatoes is a major economic driver for poorer parts of the region.
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| Charlotte potatoes grow very well in the slightly acidic soil of the region. Photo credit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/charlotte_potato |
Industrial Pollution and Soil
The industrial portions of the region have a more tenuous
relationship to the soil. Undesirable industrial side effects, known as externalities,
have compromised soil and ground water quality in many parts of the region. The small town of Évin-Malmaison, as seen below, is located between two of
the regions greatest sources of soil and ground water contaminants.
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| Photo Credit: http://www.evin-malmaison.fr/?attachment_id=278 |
Located 12 Kilometers to the west of Évin-Malmaison is the former Metaleurop lead smelter, pictured below, in Lens. The smelter was operational for most of the twentieth century, and is viewed as the primary culprit responsible for pollution in the area.
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| Photo Credit:http://www.sulphuric-acid.com/sulphuric-acid-on-the-web/acid%20plants/Metaleurop-France.JPG |
Located 4 Kilometers to the south-east of Évin-Malmaison is the Union Minière France located in Auby. This location, as seen below, is still active today, but the French government has imposed drastic operating sanctions on the facility to control pollution from the facility.
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| Photo Credit:http://www.sulphuric-acid.com/sulphuric-acid-on-the-web/acid%20plants/Metaleurop-France.JPG |
Researchers at L'Université de Paris conducted a study in Évin-Malmaison to examine the pollution caused by the two industrial sites surrounding the town. They found that large amounts of heavy-metal contamination, including zinc and lead, had infiltrated the soil and ground water. Researchers concluded that the primary mode of contamination was the atmospheric deposition of materials, known as acid rain.
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| Photo Credit:http://echo2.epfl.ch/VICAIRE/mod_2/chapt_3/main.htm |
The toxic materials found in the soil and ground water now
pose a threat to the people and wildlife of the town and surrounding
areas. The French Government shut down
the Smelter in Lens in 1995, and has been working with scientists ever since in
an effort to neutralize the contamination caused by decades of use.
Research Credits:
http://www.francepotatoboard.com/en/produits-pomme-de-terre-france-potato-
http://umaine.edu/publications/2077e/
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969797001848#
http://echo2.epfl.ch
http://echo2.epfl.ch
