Donald A. Bruun and Pamela J. Lein from the University of California, Davis in the U.S., highlight the environmental health implications of plastic use in agriculture.
Plastics are an integral part of human life and are found in many products we use daily, such as cars, furniture, toys, and food containers. In addition to these large plastic pieces, also known as "macroplastics," "microplastics," and "nano plastics," which are defined as plastic fragments less than 5 mm or 1 μm in size, respectively, are widely used in personal care products and various medical applications, including drugs (to enhance drug delivery) and bioimaging.
Plastics used in agriculture
Plastics are also widely used in agriculture. Macroplastics are used as protective wraps around mulch and fodder; they cover greenhouses, shield crops from the elements, and are used to make irrigation tubes, sacks, and bottles. There is also a rapidly expanding use of microplastics in agriculture. Agrochemical manufacturers use microencapsulation techniques to coat pesticides and fertilizers with microplastics to allow controlled release of the chemicals when applied to crops.
Microplastics are also used as anti-caking additives in fertilizers, seed coatings to increase seed storage life, and soil conditioners to improve drainage.
While there are significant benefits to using plastics in agriculture, there are emerging concerns regarding the risks associated with agricultural plastics. Over time, macroplastics slowly break down, fragmented by wind and sunlight into ever-smaller pieces to generate microplastics and nanoplastics. These tiny plastic particles seep into the soil, changing its physical structure and limiting its capacity to hold water. The potential negative impacts of this are illustrated by a recent study of radishes that found adding microplastics to the soil adversely affected root biomass.
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