Use of Plastic and its Impacts in Organic Agriculture
MINAGRIS partners have hosted a participatory workshop at the scientific conference for organic agriculture farmers, land managers and the scientific community.
Partners involved are working on the assessment of plastic use across Europe and resulting microplastic concentrations in soil (WP3), and the overall sustainability analysis of the impact of microplastics and other stressors on ecosystem services (WP7).
They presented some of our findings so far, and held a series of smaller participatory workshops discussing whether organic agriculture possible without plastic, biodegradable vs. non-biodegradable plastic, and the plastic supply chain in food sector. MINAGRIS project partners Ildko Heim, Joelle Herforth-Rahme, Andreas Fliessbach, Anja Vieweger and Dominika Kundel hosted the event, with a small but very active group of participants, producing valuable insights into these important issues.
Micro-plastics and Human Health: an Explainer.
Photo credit: Canva
There is an increasing body of evidence demonstrating that plastics are now ubiquitous across the biosphere, with micro-plastics now detectable in even the remotest of environments. Micro-plastics are present in deep oceans, polar ice-caps, and agricultural soils across the world, whilst nano-plastics have even been found in the tissues and fruits of food-crops. Micro-plastics (plastic pieces under 5 millimetres (mm) in size), and nano-plastics (plastic particles under 1 micrometre (μm)) are pervasive globally. These micro- and nano-plastics are the result of the breakdown and shedding of plastic objects including machinery, vehicles and synthetic fabrics, or intentionally created and added to products such as paints, cosmetics and toothpastes.
Microplastics are inside us.
Research has found that micro-plastics, including nano-plastics, are routinely inhaled in dust in homes, workplaces and the wider environment, and ingested in our food and drink. Plastics have been found in shellfish, crop plant and animal tissues, and are known to migrate up the food chain. Micro-plastics have now been found in the urine, blood, placentas, and deep in the lung tissue of living people. Studies in mice have demonstrated that exposure to micro-plastics can cause them to accumulate in living tissues.
These new and potentially alarming findings lead to urgent questions around what, if any, the impacts on human health might be.
