Agricultural plastics as a potential threat to food security, health, and environment through soil pollution by microplastics: Problem definition

The dynamic expansion of the Agricultural Plastics (AP) use has allowed for improved agricultural products quality, yields, and enhanced sustainability along with multiple benefits for the Agrifood sector. The present work investigates the relationship of AP characteristics, use and End-of-Life (EoL) practices with degradation and potential generation of micro-, nanoparticles (MNP) in soil. The composition, functionalities, and degradation behaviour of the contemporary conventional and biodegradable AP categories are systematically analysed. Their market dynamics are briefly presented. The risk and the conditions for the AP potential role in soil pollution and possible MNP generation are analysed based on a qualitative risk assessment approach. AP are classified from high to low-risk products with respect to their probability for soil contamination by MNP based on worst-best scenarios. Proposed alternative sustainable solutions to eliminate the risks are briefly presented for each AP category. Characteristic quantitative estimations of soil pollution by MNP generated by AP are presented for selected case studies reported in the literature. The significance of various indirect sources of agricultural soil pollution by MNP is analysed allowing for appropriate risk mitigation strategies and policies to be designed and implemented.