The French Agency for Ecological Transition (Ademe) has measured microplastic levels in 33 soil samples, in a report released today and accessed by Le Monde. From meadows to forests, no type of soil appears to be spared.
Plastic is far from fantastic, and its omnipresence is being highlighted through the publication of scientific reports and studies. A new piece has been added to the puzzle: the report from the French Agency for Ecological Transition, which is set to serve as the « first national references » on microplastic pollution (which generally measures less than 5 millimeters), was released on December 26. Le Monde gained access to the report and reveals its key findings.
The public institution, overseen by the ministries of research and ecological transition, outlines the extent of soil contamination in France, based on a modest sample of 33 soils analyzed by a laboratory from the National Institute for Agricultural Research, Food, and Environment.
The Role of Agricultural Spreading
The first finding is that three-quarters of the soils are polluted—no soil type is spared, from meadows to forests, vineyards, and large crops. This is particularly concerning for soils subjected to human intervention, compared to natural spaces, as Le Monde reports.
Most of the microplastics measured are less than 2 millimeters in size. « The sources of plastic pollution are varied, but the analysis of the samples and field surveys have not clearly identified them, » says Le Monde. In the case of agricultural plots, plastic mulching and the spreading of organic material (sewage sludge, livestock effluents, etc.) are significant contributors. According to Ademe, between one million and one billion plastic particles are deposited per hectare of agricultural soil, which is another major conclusion of the agency’s report.
Finally, the analyzed samples show an overrepresentation of polystyrene and other polymers, which are markers of packaging materials. « Therefore, Ademe recommends acting at the source by limiting the use of plastics in packaging, » Le Monde reports.
Source: letemps
