Heavy metals have been the subject of study and concern, as they are released into the environment by different activities in society and are highly harmful to human and animal health. Some metals are essential for both physiological and biological functioning. The main sources of release of these ions depend on food crops and the country. Among the main sources are agricultural activities such as irrigation and soil fertilization, mining activities, and industrial activities. Several mechanisms involve the distribution of these ions in the environment. Maintaining the balance between soil, plants, and food is fundamental since, in large concentrations, these ions can become toxic to plants, making the soil infertile and compromising the livelihood of society. Knowing the mechanisms that involve the release of metals in soil and food is essential for planning remediation technologies. To perform the detection of toxic ions even in small concentrations, highly sensitive techniques have been developed. For removal and remediation, it is possible to observe different analytical methods (chemical precipitation, electrochemical methods, ion exchange, and bioremoval); however, they are little applied due to cost. With the application of nanomaterials, the colorimetric technique has shown high selectivity, being efficient in environmental monitoring. Remediation can be performed by different methods (reverse osmosis, coagulation, redox process, limestone smoothing, ion exchange, electrochemical treatment, adsorption, membrane filtration, bioremediation, and filtration), which have advantages and disadvantages. As an advantage, adsorption allows the reuse of the adsorbent material performed by desorption for several cycles. Among the variables, the nature of the adsorbent has a great influence on the success of the operation. Biological bioremediation has been the main focus in areas containing abandoned mines and metallurgical activities. This technology has proven to be economically viable and efficient, neutralizing the effects of acidity and raising the soil pH. Finally, this review addresses issues surrounding the release, detection, and remediation of heavy metals in the environment. Dealing with these issues is highly necessary as it aims to prevent the damage that these elements cause to human health and nature.