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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Plastic Use in Agriculture: Balancing Benefits, Environmental Impacts, and Sustainable Solutions
ClearPlastic mulching in agriculture. Trading short-term agronomic benefits for long-term soil degradation?
This study examined plastic mulch use in agriculture, arguing that short-term crop benefits come with long-term costs as mulch fragments accumulate in soil as microplastics and disrupt soil structure, biology, and water dynamics.
Agricultural plastics and environmental sustainability: Assessment and remediation strategies
This review examines the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of agricultural plastics including mulch films, irrigation pipes, and greenhouse covers, and evaluates management strategies such as recycling, composting, biodegradable alternatives, and circular economy models for reducing microplastic accumulation.
Plasticultura en México: Impactos Ambientales y Desafíos para la Sostenibilidad
This systematic review analyzes the environmental impact of agricultural plastic use in Mexico, where over 45,000 hectares use plastic mulches, greenhouse covers, and irrigation systems. Poor management of this agricultural plastic waste contributes to microplastic pollution in soils, which can affect crop quality and potentially enter the food chain.
Advances in the Sustainable Use of Plastics in Horticulture—Perspectives, Innovations, Opportunities, and Limitations
This review assesses the sustainability of plastic use in horticulture — including mulch films, crop covers, and polytunnels — and evaluates options to reduce, reuse, recycle, or replace them. It matters for microplastics because agricultural plastics left in fields fragment into microplastics that contaminate soil and crops, and the review identifies where biodegradable or alternative materials offer the most practical substitution.
Environmental health implications of plastic use in agriculture
This review discusses the environmental health implications of plastic use in agriculture, including soil microplastic accumulation from mulch films, microplastic uptake by crops, and potential entry into the food chain. The authors recommend shifting toward biodegradable alternatives and tightening regulations on agricultural plastic disposal.
Microplastics in Agriculture- a Review
This review examines the growing presence of microplastics in agricultural environments, covering their sources from plastic mulch films and irrigation water, their effects on soil health and crop quality, and the implications for food safety and sustainable agriculture.
Plastic Pollution in Agriculture as a Threat to Food Security, the Ecosystem, and the Environment: An Overview
This review examines how plastic products used in agriculture -- from mulch films to greenhouse covers -- contribute to microplastic pollution in soil, water, and crops. While plastics help boost crop production and food quality, their breakdown releases microplastics that can be taken up by plants and enter the food chain. The paper discusses strategies to reduce plastic pollution in farming, which is important because agricultural microplastics represent a direct pathway to human dietary exposure.
The agricultural plastic paradox: Feeding more, harming more?
This review examines the trade-off between the agricultural benefits of plastic film mulch, which helps feed an estimated 85 million additional people in China alone, and the growing microplastic contamination it causes in farmland soils. Researchers found that current studies on the effects of mulch-derived microplastics use inconsistent methods and often unrealistically high concentrations, making it difficult to assess the true risks. The study calls for standardized research approaches to better understand whether the agricultural benefits of plastic mulch outweigh its environmental costs.
Improvement of crop and soil management practices through mulching for enhancement of soil fertility and environmental sustainability: A review
This review examined mulching practices in agriculture as a strategy for improving soil fertility, water retention, and crop yields, while also noting that plastic mulch films generate persistent microplastic contamination in agricultural soils. The authors discussed biodegradable mulch alternatives and best management practices for reducing plastic residues.
Sustainable Plasticulture in Chinese Agriculture: a Review of Challenges and Routes to Achieving Long-term Food and Ecosecurity
This review examines the challenges of plasticulture in Chinese agriculture, where macro-, micro-, and nanoplastic pollution from mulch films threatens long-term soil health and crop production. The authors propose holistic solutions targeting plastic production, use, and waste management to protect food security.
El plástico, características y principales impactos. Su uso en la agricultura, recomendaciones para su manejo
This review examines the characteristics, environmental impacts, and agricultural uses of plastics, describing how plastic production reached an estimated 367 million tons in 2020 and providing recommendations for managing plastic waste in farming contexts to reduce soil and ecosystem contamination.
Tiny toxins, big problems: the hidden threat of microplastic in agroecosystems
This review examines the impacts of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils, covering sources from plastic mulch and irrigation, effects on soil structure, water retention, microbial diversity, and nutrient cycling, and consequences for crop health and food safety.
Microplastics accumulation in agricultural soil: Evidence for the presence, potential effects, extraction, and current bioremediation approaches
This review examines the accumulation of microplastics in agricultural soils from sources like plastic mulching and irrigation, discussing their effects on soil properties and crop growth, along with current bioremediation approaches for removing soil microplastics.
Towards a Sustainable Future: Advancing an Integrated Approach for the Recycling and Valorization of Agricultural Plastics
This review surveys current methods for recycling and valorizing agricultural plastics—films, mulches, and greenhouse covers—highlighting that inadequate end-of-life management leads to soil and water contamination and eventual microplastic formation. A more integrated, circular approach to agricultural plastic design and disposal is needed to prevent these materials from fragmenting into persistent environmental pollutants.
Microplastic contamination in the agricultural soil—mitigation strategies, heavy metals contamination, and impact on human health: a review
This review examines how microplastics contaminate agricultural soil through plastic mulch, irrigation water, and fertilizers, then alter soil chemistry, harm beneficial microorganisms, and reduce crop productivity. The authors highlight that microplastics can accumulate in crops and enter the human food chain, posing risks to food safety and human health, particularly through daily food and water consumption.
Plastic mulch productivity-sustainability tradeoffs and pathways toward an eco-friendly framework: insights from a global meta-analysis
This meta-analysis pools data from global studies on plastic mulch used in farming, finding that it boosts crop yields by nearly 29% but leaves persistent plastic residue in soil. The plastic fragments that remain in farmland soil eventually break down into microplastics, which can contaminate crops and enter the food supply. The study calls for biodegradable alternatives to balance food production needs with the growing problem of agricultural microplastic pollution.
Polymers Use as Mulch Films in Agriculture—A Review of History, Problems and Current Trends
This review traces the history of plastic mulch films in agriculture, from their widespread adoption for moisture retention and weed control to growing concerns about soil contamination. Researchers found that while polyethylene mulch is highly effective, its accumulation in farmland creates long-term pollution and health risks. The study examines emerging biodegradable alternatives and new regulations aimed at reducing agricultural plastic waste.
The Plastic Paradox: A Systematic Review of Mulch-Derived Microplastic Pollution and the Sustainability of Arid Zone Agriculture
This systematic review examines the 'plastic paradox' in farming — plastic mulch boosts crop yields in dry climates but leaves behind microplastics that accumulate in soil over time. These soil microplastics can alter water flow, harm soil organisms, and potentially enter the food chain through crops.
Employing a systems approach to unravelling the complexities of the agricultural plastics value chain
Researchers used a systems analysis approach to map the full lifecycle of plastics used in agriculture — from production to disposal — and found that while these materials boost crop yields, they create serious sustainability problems including microplastic accumulation in soil and chemical leaching. The study identifies critical gaps in data, policy, and infrastructure needed to manage agricultural plastic waste and transition toward more sustainable alternatives.
Environmental fate and effects of mulch films on agricultural soil: A systematic review from application to residual impact
This systematic review traces the full lifecycle of plastic mulch films used in farming, from application to breakdown in soil. While these films boost crop yields, they leave behind persistent residues that fragment into microplastics, potentially contaminating soil and groundwater. The review highlights the need for biodegradable alternatives to reduce long-term microplastic accumulation in agricultural land.