At DERM, we work to protect the quality of our lands for everybody. This includes monitoring, making and enforcing laws, and issuing permits to control pollution on our lands.

Sources of land pollution include both solid wastes and liquid wastes that spill on the ground. An important consideration in Miami-Dade County's unique environment is that anything that spills on the ground can contaminate our source of drinking water, the Biscayne Aquifer, which is located just below the ground surface.

Many of these contamination sources are industrial facilities. However, even you contribute to this type of pollution when you improperly dispose of used engine oil, throw litter out the car window, or don't take the time to recycle. Together we must work together to ensure that the land and the groundwater we share remains clean and healthy.