What is the impact of agricultural plastics in soils : an overview of European studies

AUTHOR : The Editorial Team

In recent years, the term «microplastic» (MP) has become a common topic of discussion. But what scientific literature is available on this subject? Plasticulture Magazine was keen to disseminate the results of research work so that readers can better understand the subject, its impacts and the solutions required along the plasticulture value chain. After the detailed presentation of a study in the first part of this issue (field research led by the Staffordshire University in the UK), this article offers a brief overview of studies conducted in France, Spain and Germany.

Agricultural plastics and environmental impact: first results of the biomaleg project in france

The collaborative project BIOMALEG aims to assess the long-term environmental impact of the use of plastic mulches. It studies the quantification of soil pollution by plastics, the biological quality of soils and food safety. In addition to the study of soil contamination, the history of which has been known for 20 years, by traditional plastic films (PE, PVC, «oxos», etc.), it focuses on biodegradable mulching films, the objective of which is to estimate the quantity of residual biodegradable plastics and to evaluate the quality of the soil over the course of crop cycles. 

BIOMALEG will make it possible to propose recommendations for the development of biodegradable plastic films in agriculture, to draw up a guide of good mulching practices and to support farmers in the context of sustainable agriculture. Even if the BIOMALEG project has not yet reached its conclusion, the initial results, which need to be confirmed, suggest that the use of such biodegradable mulches may prove to be a relevant and eco-responsible solution.

Innovative detection and analysis methods developed by aimplas in spain

In general, it can be said that several factors influence the amount of MP generated and their diffusion in the environment. Practices related to the increasing use of plastics in agriculture must therefore be demanding in terms of technical and safety requirements, from use to end-of-life management. Forgoing their use is not an option because of the great benefits they bring to the sector, including allowing much land that had no agricultural potential to become highly productive. 

However, low weight and high-volume agricultural plastics are sensitive to the various factors affecting particle generation, deposit and transport, so the environmental requirement must become a priority for their development while effectively addressing the need to produce food in an economically viable manner and ultimately improve the quality of life for producers and consumers.