PERTH, Australia – A new review by researchers at Murdoch University in Australia has delivered a startling finding: agricultural soils now contain an estimated 23 times more microplastics than the world’s oceans. The study highlights a growing and largely overlooked environmental crisis, suggesting that microplastic pollution is not just a marine problem but a fundamental threat to terrestrial ecosystems and food chains.
The research analyzed data from agricultural lands around the globe, where microplastics from sources like fertilizers, treated sewage sludge, and plastic mulches have been accumulating for decades. The report states that these tiny plastic fragments can impede plant growth, alter soil composition, and enter the food supply as crops absorb them.
The findings have prompted calls for more stringent regulations on the use and disposal of plastics in agriculture, as well as an increased focus on developing biodegradable alternatives. The study serves as a critical warning that while public attention has been focused on plastic in our oceans, a more significant and insidious reservoir of pollution has been building up in the very soil that feeds the world.
