Do agricultural microplastics undermine food security and sustainable development in developing countries?
Lead Research Organisation:
Bangor University
Department Name: Sch of Natural Sciences
Abstract
THE GLOBAL PROBLEM: The presence of large amounts of plastic in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems appears almost ubiquitous, with frequent reports of negative impacts of plastics on ecosystem health. This has led to the United Nations Environment Programme declaring plastic pollution as one of the top 10 global environmental problems. The problem of plastic pollution is particularly acute in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) where it is impairing the health and wellbeing of billions of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people. In addition, it is compromising our ability to deliver many of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). While much research effort has been spent understanding the behaviour of microplastics in marine systems, the impact of plastics in terrestrial environments, and especially agricultural systems, remains poorly understood. This is surprising considering that 80% of plastics arriving in the oceans were produced, used, and often disposed of on land. It has also led to speculation that it is within terrestrial systems that microplastics might actually be of greatest concern.
THE PLASTIC PARADOX IN LMICs: Over the last 50 years, many governments and overseas aid agencies have actively encouraged the use of plastics within agriculture to promote greater resource use efficiency and food security. The adoption of plastic mulch films in particular, has transformed the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers across the world, however, this has been achieved at a large environmental cost. Difficulties in removing plastic from fields, a lack of appreciation for its impact on agroecosystem health, and socioeconomic/practical barriers to its effective disposal have left a plastic pollution legacy that will last for many generations to come. There is therefore an urgent need to critically evaluate the environmental and human health risks posed by these legacy plastics and to devise effective ways and social structures to prevent further accumulation and to try and remediate plastic contaminated fields.
TACKLING THE ISSUE: To address the problem and help deliver tangible solutions, we have brought together a multidisciplinary team of natural and social scientists from 5 contrasting LMICs (China, Egypt, India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam). We chose these 5 countries as this is where the problem of agricultural plastic pollution is most acute and because they are at different stages of tackling the problem. Together, these countries use 3 million tonnes of agricultural plastic film each year covering 25 million hectares of agricultural land. They also span a wide range of climates and possess a range of governance structures which will enable our outcomes to be readily translated to other similar LMICs. Consequently, the overall aim of our research is to quantify the risk that conventional macro-, micro- and nano-plastics pose to the long-term health of agricultural ecosystems. This information will be used to critically evaluate the likely impact of conventional agricultural plastic use on food security and rural livelihoods. In addition, we aim to identify practical, economic, socially acceptable and politically viable solutions to help remediate land contaminated with plastic and prevent further pollution from occurring through lasting behaviour and policy change.
PROJECT LEGACY: Our fundamental approach will be to co-design context-specific, locally-owned interventions to reduce the plastic legacy, while still maintaining sustainable farming practices and livelihoods. It is vital that we generate legacy to ensure that the tools, technology, knowledge and partnerships we develop persist well beyond the project end-date and that the outcomes continue to spread to other LMICs. We have embedded legacy into the fabric of our project. For example we will upskill LMIC researchers, build research capital, create an information portal and design novel decision support tools.
THE PLASTIC PARADOX IN LMICs: Over the last 50 years, many governments and overseas aid agencies have actively encouraged the use of plastics within agriculture to promote greater resource use efficiency and food security. The adoption of plastic mulch films in particular, has transformed the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers across the world, however, this has been achieved at a large environmental cost. Difficulties in removing plastic from fields, a lack of appreciation for its impact on agroecosystem health, and socioeconomic/practical barriers to its effective disposal have left a plastic pollution legacy that will last for many generations to come. There is therefore an urgent need to critically evaluate the environmental and human health risks posed by these legacy plastics and to devise effective ways and social structures to prevent further accumulation and to try and remediate plastic contaminated fields.
TACKLING THE ISSUE: To address the problem and help deliver tangible solutions, we have brought together a multidisciplinary team of natural and social scientists from 5 contrasting LMICs (China, Egypt, India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam). We chose these 5 countries as this is where the problem of agricultural plastic pollution is most acute and because they are at different stages of tackling the problem. Together, these countries use 3 million tonnes of agricultural plastic film each year covering 25 million hectares of agricultural land. They also span a wide range of climates and possess a range of governance structures which will enable our outcomes to be readily translated to other similar LMICs. Consequently, the overall aim of our research is to quantify the risk that conventional macro-, micro- and nano-plastics pose to the long-term health of agricultural ecosystems. This information will be used to critically evaluate the likely impact of conventional agricultural plastic use on food security and rural livelihoods. In addition, we aim to identify practical, economic, socially acceptable and politically viable solutions to help remediate land contaminated with plastic and prevent further pollution from occurring through lasting behaviour and policy change.
PROJECT LEGACY: Our fundamental approach will be to co-design context-specific, locally-owned interventions to reduce the plastic legacy, while still maintaining sustainable farming practices and livelihoods. It is vital that we generate legacy to ensure that the tools, technology, knowledge and partnerships we develop persist well beyond the project end-date and that the outcomes continue to spread to other LMICs. We have embedded legacy into the fabric of our project. For example we will upskill LMIC researchers, build research capital, create an information portal and design novel decision support tools.
Organisations
Publications
Greenfield L
(2022)
Field response of N2O emissions, microbial communities, soil biochemical processes and winter barley growth to the addition of conventional and biodegradable microplastics
in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Zhou J
(2024)
Quantifying apparent and real priming effects based on inverse labelling
in Applied Soil Ecology
Chu J
(2023)
Field application of biodegradable microplastics has no significant effect on plant and soil health in the short term.
in Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
Li S
(2022)
Macro- and microplastic accumulation in soil after 32 years of plastic film mulching.
in Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
Ding F
(2023)
Consequences of 33 Years of Plastic Film Mulching and Nitrogen Fertilization on Maize Growth and Soil Quality
in Environmental Science & Technology
Ji D
(2022)
Crop residue decomposition and nutrient release are independently affected by nitrogen fertilization, plastic film mulching, and residue type
in European Journal of Agronomy
Nayab G
(2022)
Climate warming masks the negative effect of microplastics on plant-soil health in a silt loam soil
in Geoderma
Zhang J
(2022)
Effects of plastic residues and microplastics on soil ecosystems: A global meta-analysis.
in Journal of hazardous materials
Reay M
(2023)
LDPE and biodegradable PLA-PBAT plastics differentially affect plant-soil nitrogen partitioning and dynamics in a Hordeum vulgare mesocosm
in Journal of Hazardous Materials
Zhou J
(2023)
The long-term uncertainty of biodegradable mulch film residues and associated microplastics pollution on plant-soil health.
in Journal of hazardous materials
Xiao M
(2022)
Microplastics shape microbial communities affecting soil organic matter decomposition in paddy soil.
in Journal of hazardous materials
Xiao M
(2021)
Effect of microplastics on organic matter decomposition in paddy soil amended with crop residues and labile C: A three-source-partitioning study.
in Journal of hazardous materials
Graf M
(2023)
Increasing concentration of pure micro- and macro-LDPE and PP plastic negatively affect crop biomass, nutrient cycling, and microbial biomass.
in Journal of hazardous materials
Brown R
(2023)
Bioplastic (PHBV) addition to soil alters microbial community structure and negatively affects plant-microbial metabolic functioning in maize
in Journal of Hazardous Materials
Liu Y
(2022)
Microplastics in soil can increase nutrient uptake by wheat.
in Journal of hazardous materials
Zhou J
(2022)
Simazine degradation in agroecosystems: Will it be affected by the type and amount of microplastic pollution?
in Land Degradation & Development
Qi R
(2021)
Field test on the biodegradation of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) based mulch films in soil
in Polymer Testing
Ding F
(2021)
Does long-term use of biodegradable plastic mulch affect soil carbon stock?
in Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Ding W
(2021)
Effect thresholds for the earthworm Eisenia fetida: Toxicity comparison between conventional and biodegradable microplastics
in Science of The Total Environment
Yang Y
(2022)
Kinetics of microplastic generation from different types of mulch films in agricultural soil
in Science of The Total Environment
Zhou J
(2021)
Microplastics as an emerging threat to plant and soil health in agroecosystems
in Science of The Total Environment
Brown R
(2022)
Field application of pure polyethylene microplastic has no significant short-term effect on soil biological quality and function
in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Zhou J
(2021)
The microplastisphere: Biodegradable microplastics addition alters soil microbial community structure and function
in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Zou Z
(2023)
Decadal application of mineral fertilizers alters the molecular composition and origins of organic matter in particulate and mineral-associated fractions
in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Liu Y
(2023)
Distribution of microplastics in soil aggregates after film mulching
in Soil Ecology Letters
Description | That additives are a bigger risk than plastics polymers. That soils are a major reservoir of plastic pollution That lots of plastics are deposited to land via the atmosphere. |
Exploitation Route | Still too early to say |
Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
URL | https://www.gcrf-agriplastics.uk/ |
Title | Nitrous oxide emissions and associated microbial diversity, soil biochemical properties and crop growth and yield from a field trial of winter barley with the addition of microplastics, Abergwyngregyn, UK, 2020-2021 |
Description | This dataset contains field data on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, microbial community composition, crop yield and growth and soil biochemical properties. The field trial consisted of three different treatments of control, conventional microplastic addition and biodegradable microplastic addition where winter barley was grown. The data presented are from field and laboratory measurements. Data was collected by the data authors. The field trial was carried out from September 2020 to July 2021 at Henfaes Field Centre, UK. Research was funded through NERC Grant NE/V005871/1. Do agricultural microplastics undermine food security and sustainable development in developing countries? |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Accompanies a paper to be published. |
URL | https://doi.org/10.5285/a5410834-1c38-455b-a850-3fb3434d4bb0 |