Work package number

3

Lead Beneficiary

FiBL-CH

Work package title

Assessment of the use of plastics across Europe and resulting MNP concentrations in soil

Participant number

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Short name of participant

WU

UBERN

FiBL-CH

UTH

UL

UCSC

FiBL-AT

Person/months per participant

5

18

28

0

5

4

5

Participant number

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Short name of participant

UoG

FUB

INRAE

POLITO

CHQ

DTU

AGES

Person/months per participant

5

0

0

14

5

5

15

Participant number

15

16

17

18

19

20

Short name of participant

NVM

WR

EQY

CAMPO

SPOT

EMU

Person/months per participant

1

21

5

5

5

5

Start month

1

 End month

48

Objectives of the work package:

The main objective of WP3, in line with SO1 of MINAGRIS, is to provide deep insights in the amount and type of plastics found in soil and the source of these plastics. This main goal will be achieved through a series of specific objectives: (i) to provide an inventory on sales and use of plastic in agriculture at the EU-scale (T3.1), (ii) to estimate input and output of plastic containing sources at farm level based on the CSS farmers survey (T3.2), (iii) to develop (T3.3) and validate (T3.4) methods for MNP quantification in soil used for monitoring at CSS (SO2), (iv) build a smartphone app to detect plastic in the environment (T3.5) (SO9). The plastic inputs obtained from the inventory, the management information from farmer interviews and the baseline soil quality assessment including MNP loads will be stored in the project database (WP2), which will be useful in selecting CSS for proof-of-concept experiments planned in WP5 and 6.

Task 3.1 Inventory of plastics use at national and EU level  

Task leader: WR | Participant(s): CSS leaders Timing: M1-42

In this task, WR will conduct an inventory of plastic sales, analysing the intentional use of plastics in the agricultural sector with a focus on the use for soil management. The inventory will be based on different types and levels of both quantitative and qualitative information. At the CSS an inventory of practices related to the use of plastics in the European biogeographical regions and countries will be carried out by CSS leaders. First, quantities of sales and use of plastics will be collected by WR based on sources identified in the state-of-the-art study (see Section 1.4.1.1.). The data will be collected at EU and national level using EUROSTAT and other statistical datasets, by involving stakeholders from the plastic industry, advisory services and agriculture (farmer/horticultural representatives) based on WP2 framework and through the network of partners, by browsing import statistics and interviewing dealers of agricultural appliances. This information will be used by WR to estimate the types and amount of plastic sold to the farmers. These first results will allow for refining our selection of CSS that are further studied in other WPs to prevent statistical bias. Finally, and to get deeper insight into plastic uses, this inventory will be complemented by qualitative information retrieved from farmer interviews in T3.2 as well as the outcome of T3.5. These numbers will be stored in the WP2 database and used in WP7 to cross check with the WP4, WP5 and WP6 results regarding impact.

Task 3.2 Assessment of farmers needs and practices at the selected CSS

Task leader: FiBL-CH | Participant(s): CSS leaders | Timing: M1-M18

How and why farmers use plastics across the partner countries along biogeographical scale will be investigated by surveys, in the form of face to face/telephone interviews with up to 10 farmers per CSS. Local CSS leaders will analyse the external drivers and own needs and motivation of farmers to use plastics (as well as innovative alternatives) in their farming system and will ask for details on farm management and plastic use in the past ten years. FiBL-CH will co-develop these semi-directive interviews in collaboration with T3.1 inventory to focus questions on relevant points. Attention will be paid to practices that can modify the effect of MNP in soil (e.g. soil tillage, chemical inputs). All interviews results will be made anonymous and stored in the online database (T2.4), accessible to all project partners. Each farmer will receive a report on the information she/he provided, as well as soil and crop analytical data (from other WPs). Interview data will be analysed and combined with information from the literature and the inventory in T3.1.

Based on a preliminary evaluation of surveys and T3.1 output, Practices Groups (PG) with common production types, farm management and plastic use will be identified. Together with the scientific team, the PG will help formulating hypotheses towards impact of their specific practices on soil MNP loads. The PG will be consulted and included in certain research tasks as members of the respective MAP. By creating and involving these PG, WP3 will also permit WP7 to link soil characteristics with practices. A farm prototyping exercise in each of the PG may help to build new production schemes as an alternative to the use of plastic. This exercise results will be included as examples in the DST (T7.3).

Task 3.3 Development of an innovative methodology to monitor MNP loads in soil

Task leader: UBERN-GIUB | Participant(s): WU, POLITO, WR | Timing: M1-12

The methodology to determine the quantity and the quality (e.g. polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyurethanes, synthetic oxo- and photo-degradable plastics, and biodegradable plastics) of plastic residues in soil will be standardized and included in the monitoring plan (T2.4).

MaP will be analysed by reflectance and size and shape will be recorded by photography.

MP will be analysed by density separation of the samples before analysing the MP fraction by spectroscopy which allows a full characterisation (composition, size, shape, number of particles) of plastic. Furthermore, POLITO will analyse MP by thermal approaches, which will cross-validate previous methods and address specific questions in terms of MP degradation, additives etc.

NP: Infrared or Raman spectroscopy are normally used in MP research but are limited to the >1-10 μm range. UBERN-GIUB is currently developing a method for the extraction of NP from soils. This method in combination with the thermal analysis methods (POLITO) will allow for a quantification of NP at the CSS and at WP4-6 experiments. Furthermore, NP from selected samples would be analysed by scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) and x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) to analyse the size, shape and polymer type of NP particles. These methods will be further developed by UBERN-GIUB, POLITO, WU and WR, and validated by recovery tests with a variety of different polymers.

Task 3.4 Baseline assessment of soil quality and the levels of MaP, MP and NP in the CSS

Task leader: POLITO | Participant(s): WU, FiBL-CH, POLITO, WR, GIUB, | Timing: M3-14

2 fields per CSS farm will be selected according to the information on the frequency and duration of plastic use (T3.2). These 2 fields will be selected following farmer indications and to obtain the most relevant contrast in each farm: one with high plastic inputs and one without.

Task 3.4.1: Sampling at the CSS

Concerning samples, they are expected to be close to 440: 11 CSS with 10 farms; in each farm, 4 samples (2 per identified fields) will be collected according to homogenized sampling schemes defined in WP2. Due to the uneven plastic distribution in soils, we need to develop a representative soil sampling strategy based on soil sampling protocol norms (ISO 18400-104). This will involve testing of the horizontal and vertical variability to define the number of samples and the sampling depth.

Task 3.4.2: Baseline for future assessment of soil quality

In parallel to the survey conducted at the CSS, selected fields will be characterized using standardized chemical, physical and biological methods for soil quality assessment provided by the monitoring plan. Specified laboratories among the MINAGRIS team will run measurements, related to MNP and other pollutants, They will receive the samples according to the specific requirements of the method (moist, frozen, dried and sieved). Selected sites will be assessed in situ for future experiments with water infiltration and flows (WP5-6) and the abundance of soil invertebrates (WP4).

Task 3.4.3: Baseline assessment of MaP, MP and NP in soils at the CSS

The methods for MaP and MP (T3.3) will be applied to samples taken according to T3.4.1. At certain sites based on soil quality and MP load, NP will be quantified by GIUB, POLITO, WU and WR (methods elaborated in T3.3). Certain CSS will be revisited towards the end of the project to verify new methodologies or for “back to the field” validation of the experiments conducted in WP5 and WP6.

Task 3.5: Participatory science study: Smartphone application for detection and monitoring of visually recognisable plastic residues in soils

Task leader: AGES | Participant(s): WU, UMH, UL, FiBL-CH, UoG, SPOT | Timing: 8-48

A Citizen Science smartphone application will be developed by SPOTTERON for assessing and monitoring of visual plastic remainders in soils. The deployment and validation will take place at CSS fields, using feedback of farmers and other local users. The freely available app will send plastic observations together with GPS and other input data to an online database. The application will be available for Android, IOS and also participation via Browser in the project's website. To enable a broad participation by Citizens with long-term motivation, community functionalities will be present in the app and additional communication tools will be integrated to ensure an exchange of experience and immersion. We will actively distribute the app to people linked with the agricultural world to maximize the amount of data collected. Target users are a) farmers and consultants, b) teachers and students and c) the interested public across Europe. Teachers and students at agricultural schools can use the app during excursions and field visits and farmers can assess the plastic pollution in their fields and the changing amount over time. Information collected will be used in Task 3.3 for MaP size and type identification and more broadly to give an overview of the plastics present in European agricultural soils. The wide distribution of this application will facilitate visibility of the project to the general public targeted by WP8, by bringing together a community around an easily accessible and user-friendly application.

Deliverable 3.1.: Report on the typology of farms and their plastic practices in the CSS; feedback and expectations of stakeholders [M6, WR, R, CO] Deliverable 3.2: Standardized methods and quality criteria for the analysis of MaP and MNP in agricultural soils [M6, 24, UBERN-GIUB, R, PU] Deliverable 3.3: Intentional use, unintentional input, types and sources of plastics on and in the soil in EU agricultural systems [M44, WR, R, PU] Deliverable 3.4: Ready-to-use smartphone app as a tool for participative detecting and monitoring of visually recognisable plastic remainders in soils [M20, 48, AGES, OTHER, PU]