Plastic Mulching: Microplastics in Agricultural Soils

Title: Plastic Mulching: Microplastics in Agricultural Soils
Publication Type: Research Reports
Year of Publication: 2022
Abstract:A first-of-its-kind study titled “Plastic Mulching: Microplastics in Agricultural Soils,” launched by environmental NGO Toxics Link, reveals a high abundance of micro plastics in the soil samples using plastic mulch sheets in some agricultural belts of Karnataka and Maharashtra.Mulching is a technique of covering the soil to maintain the soil temperature and moisture and thereby facilitate higher crop yield. The study found tiny plastic particles at various depths, exhibiting soil contamination due to the rampant usage of plastic mulch sheets. Microplastics or MPs are tiny plastic materials less than 5 mm in diameter and are considered the primary source of plastic pollution.