We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
(Micro)plastic Pollution in Chinese Erosion Control Engineering: Sources and Prevention Strategies
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers estimated that plastic erosion control materials — nets and soil reinforcement agents — covered roughly 23,500 km² of Chinese soils over the past decade, identifying these engineering applications as a significant and previously overlooked source of microplastic contamination due to their high degradation rates and mobility across landscapes.
ABSTRACT (Micro)plastics are ubiquitous and have emerged as a global pollutant of growing concern, posing significant threats to ecosystem sustainability. In China, diverse plastic products are extensively employed in soil erosion control engineering (ECE). However, the potential contribution and environmental hazards of (micro)plastics from ECE has yet to be considered. In this review, a preliminary assessment based on national soil erosion control data estimates that approximately 2.35 × 10 4 km 2 of soils were covered by plastic nets or mixed with plastic reinforcement agents in engineering construction projects over the past decade across China. Although plastic products exhibit demonstrated effectiveness in mitigating soil erosion and positively impact vegetation recovery, they also pose a high environmental risk for microplastic pollution for several reasons. First, plastics in ECE projects are significant sources of (micro)plastics that can permeate diverse landscapes. Second, (micro)plastics in ECEs can directly enter soils and alter their environments. Third, these plastics exhibit higher degradation rates, and fourth, are highly susceptible to transportation. Therefore, (micro)plastics from ECE are considered as non‐negligible sources of microplastic pollution in soils. With this context, prevention strategies for limiting (micro)plastic pollution from ECE projects are provided, including source control based on the hierarchy of the “four R's” (i.e., reducing, reusing, replacing, and recycling plastics), enhancing education and regulation by strengthening awareness and improving product quality. Additionally, the incorporation of innovative policies such as banning single‐use plastics in temporary applications and incorporating plastic waste consideration into existing environmental impact assessment policies are useful strategies for limiting plastic contamination.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics pollution in the soil mulched by dust-proof nets: A case study in Beijing, China
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in soils covered by dust-proof nets used on construction sites in Beijing, China. They found that the nets themselves were a source of microplastic contamination, with fiber-type particles being the most abundant in the underlying soil. The study identifies construction site dust-control measures as a previously overlooked source of microplastic pollution in urban soils.
Microplastic pollution from protective measures in urban construction should not be overlooked: A case study in Changzhou, China
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that dust-proof netting used in urban construction sites in Changzhou, China, is a significant source of soil microplastics, with covered soil containing 3.2 times more microplastics (mean 4,140.7 items/kg) than adjacent uncovered soil. Raman spectroscopy confirmed polyethylene as the dominant polymer, directly linking the netting material to soil contamination in rapidly urbanizing areas.
Potential sources and occurrence of macro-plastics and microplastics pollution in farmland soils: A typical case of China
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines plastic pollution in Chinese farmland soils, finding that agricultural practices like mulch film use and sewage sludge application are major sources of both macro- and microplastics that accumulate over time.
The Source, Distribution Characteristics,and Migration Behavior of Microplastic Pollutionin Soil Environment in China: A Review
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how microplastics enter Chinese soils — mainly through plastic mulch films, sewage irrigation, and fertilizer application — and how they migrate through soil layers while carrying other pollutants with them. The review highlights that China's intensive agricultural practices make its soils among the most microplastic-contaminated on Earth, with implications for food safety and groundwater quality.
Agricultural plastic mulching as a source of microplastics in the terrestrial environment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed 384 soil samples from 19 Chinese provinces and found that macroplastic fragments were concentrated in agricultural fields with plastic mulch film use, providing large-scale field evidence linking agricultural mulching to terrestrial plastic contamination.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.