The UK’s food security is at risk from increasing pollution of agricultural soil by microplastics, a report from MPs has found.
According to the all-party parliamentary group (APPG), microplastics are interacting with food systems by degrading soil quality, reducing crop productivity and introducing contaminants into agricultural land through pathways such as sewage sludge application.
Despite the warnings, the UK currently lacks a “coherent” policy response for microplastics, the group said. There are no legally defined reduction targets so far and no regulatory limits imposed on areas such as wastewater, air or soils.
Microplastics, which are smaller than 5 millimetres in size, disrupt soil structure, alter microbial communities, and directly impede plant development from seed to harvest. Microfibres from synthetic textiles can make soil overly porous and reduce water retention, while film fragments can restrict airflow and trap excessive moisture.
Meanwhile, plastic accumulation also...