US EditionPlastics are seeping into farm fields, food and eventually human bodies. Can they be stopped?
- Farmers in Uganda, such as Innocent Piloya who grows coffee, are struggling with a plague of plastic bags, locally known as buveera, that are creeping into farmland in the Mbale district and Kampala, because they cannot afford proper seedling trays and resort to cheaper plastic bags to germinate seeds.
- The increasing reliance on agricultural plastics, fueled by climate change and the need to shelter crops from extreme weather, is leading to soils becoming major receptors of plastic pollution, as highlighted in a 2021 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report.
- Microplastics are running from farm fields into waterways and ultimately entering the food chain and human bodies, potentially impacting plants' ability to photosynthesize and leading to serious health problems like heart disease.
- While leaders from around the world gathered in South Korea to create a legally binding global treaty on plastics pollution, they didn't reach an agreement, and without a formal treaty, the onus falls on companies to find solutions to stop the flow of plastic waste into ecosystems.
- Experts like Sarah Zack and Lev Neretin emphasize the urgent need for major engineering solutions and further research to address the alarmingly large scale of microplastic release and its potential impact on the land-based food chain.
114 Articles
114 Articles
First evidence of plastic fallout from the North Pacific Garbage Patch
The infamous garbage patches on the surface of subtropical oceanic gyres are proof that plastic is polluting the ocean on an unprecedented scale. The fate of floating plastic debris ‘trapped’ in these gyres, however, remains largely unknown. Here, we provide the first evidence for the vertical transfer of plastic debris from the North Pacific Garbage Patch (NPGP) into the underlying deep sea. The numerical and mass concentrations of plastic frag…
Marevivo's alarm: the effects of microplastics on photosynthesis jeopardize food security
By Marevivo Plastic is causing a global crisis and threatens to reduce the photosynthesis rates of plants and algae by 7-12%, interfering with their growth and putting our food security at risk. The alarm is sounded by a study published in the scientific journal, PNAS, which highlights the impact of microplastics on essential agricultural products such as wheat, rice and corn, and on fish products. Microplastic pollution is extremely pervasive. …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage
