University researchers highlight impact of agricultural plastics on soil health
University of Gloucestershire researchers have played a leading role in raising awareness of how plastics used in agriculture are affecting the soils that produce our food.
Experts from the University’s Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) have collaborated with scientists and organisations across Europe through the EU-funded MINAGRIS project over the past five years, which has investigated the impact of micro and nano plastics on agricultural soils.
Researchers surveyed 227 agricultural fields across 27 countries in Europe and found microplastics in almost every field, originating from both on-farm and off-farm sources. Once plastics break down into microplastics in the soil, current evidence suggests they cannot be removed.
The study found that microplastics can act as a ‘Trojan horse’, transporting pollutants, pesticides and potentially harmful bacteria through soil.
The project has shown that microplastics can affect plant growth and function, particularly when combined with other pressures such as drought. Plastics can also affect earthworms, insects and soil micro-organisms, disrupting important processes including nutrient recycling.
A CCRI team led by Dr Charlotte-Anne Chivers (pictured below) has worked closely with MINAGRIS scientists throughout the five-year project to ensure its findings are communicated to farmers, policymakers, industry, researchers and the wider public.
The findings were presented at the final MINAGRIS conference in Brussels, chaired by Professor Matt Reed from the CCRI and attended by policymakers, including a senior member of the EU Directorate-General on environment, plastics industry representatives, farming organisations and researchers.
The event was accompanied by a detailed magazine that included practical guidance for farmers, and key policy recommendations on microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
The conference included an animated explainer video produced by Rumpus Animations in collaboration with University of Gloucestershire students. It attracted interest from international organisations including the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
Dr Chivers said: “Agricultural plastics such as mulch wraps, pipes and other products play an essential role in improving productivity, resource efficiency and food security, so it was important that the project’s messages were balanced and understood within that wider context.
“However, the evidence gathered through MINAGRIS shows that plastic pollution in agricultural soils is widespread. Microplastics can interact with soils, plants and ecosystems in complex ways, and therefore must be treated as environmental pollutants.
“These particles cannot be removed once they are in the soil, so there is a clear need for researchers, policymakers, the plastics industry and the agricultural sector to collaborate on reducing pollution at source.
“There is no single solution. Instead, there needs to be an integrated approach, where responsibilities are shared. Researchers, policymakers and the plastics and agricultural industries need to work together to improve monitoring and data collection, raise awareness of the issues, increase transparency about the additives used in plastics, improve plastic design, and strengthen waste management and recycling.”
Main image: a large herd of sheep and goats in an agricultural field where plastic is visible (credit MINAGRIS project)