We often picture plastic pollution floating in oceans or strewn across beaches. But a less visible, more dangerous form of pollution lies beneath us. Agricultural soil, once seen as a safe space for food growth, has become the planet’s largest reservoir of microplastics.
A recent review from Murdoch University reveals that these soils now contain nearly 23 times more microplastics than the oceans.
Unlike the visible bottles and bags we discard, these tiny plastic particles are microscopic and easily overlooked. Yet, they carry with them a chemical complexity that could reshape how we view food, farming and health.
“These microplastics are turning food-producing land into a plastic sink,” noted PhD candidate Joseph Boctor, who led the study.
This contamination does not stay in the dirt. It travels through roots, into crops, and onto our plates. Without a shift in awareness and policy, the health of humans and ecosystems may face irreversible harm.
Plastic in agricultural soil
One of the most disturbing findings from Boctor’s review is that these plastics may contain up to 10,000 different chemical additives. Many of them remain completely unregulated in agricultural contexts.
These chemicals are not just inert fillers. They actively interact with the soil, the plants growing in it, and eventually, the people consuming those plants.
Plastic packaging proudly labeled “BPA-free” might provide a false sense of safety. “And BPA-free does not equal risk free,” Boctor clarifies.
Substitute chemicals like BPF and BPS, often used in place of BPA, have been shown to cause similar or even worse endocrine disruption. These additives interfere with the body’s hormonal balance, which is critical for everything from metabolism to fertility.
Research cited in the review confirms the presence of these compounds in lettuce, wheat and carrot crops. These plastics do not need to be visible to be harmful. They move from the soil into plant tissues, continuing the cycle of contamination that begins in the field and ends in our bodies.
From agricultural soil into food crops
The movement of microplastics and nanoplastics into crops is not hypothetical. It is now a documented fact. These particles enter plants through the roots, especially via cracks and pores, or even through a biological process known as endocytosis.
The analysis reveals that some particles can even be absorbed through leaves and move downward into the plant’s root system. This translocation means that no part of the plant is entirely safe from plastic intrusion.
The review gives an example of peanut plants, where microplastics caused a 35 percent reduction in nitrogen uptake. This decline directly affects the plant’s health and its nutritional value.
Besides impacting plant growth, these plastics interfere with key biological processes. They can hinder photosynthesis, slow down water uptake, and create oxidative stress in plant tissues. The result is a silent degradation of crop quality long before harvest.
Bioplastics in soil may still harm crops
In response to rising concerns, some researchers and companies have turned to bioplastics. These are marketed as eco-friendly alternatives that should degrade naturally without harming the environment. But Boctor’s team cautions against blind trust in this solution.
The researchers found that not all bioplastics are benign. Some, like PLA and PBAT, still reduce plant growth and disrupt soil microbial communities.
That means even “greener” plastics may contribute to environmental toxicity, just in a different form. This complexity suggests that replacing traditional plastic with any bioplastic is not enough.
Still, Boctor’s team has not abandoned hope. They are developing a more advanced, safe solution through their Smart Sprays Project. This involves a bioplastic-based spray that acts as a water barrier. It helps retain rainwater and reduce evaporation, without harming the soil or plants.
Most importantly, it can be applied with existing farm equipment, making adoption easier for farmers.
Agricultural soil pollution is a global issue
This is not a regional issue. The review compiles data from over 30 countries. Agricultural soils everywhere from Europe to Asia are affected.
The study reveals that plastic particle densities range from a few hundred particles per kilogram in rural zones to more than 200,000 particles per kilogram in highly industrialised areas.
This widespread contamination affects not just plant health, but the entire ecosystem beneath the soil. Earthworms exposed to microplastics have shown stunted growth, impaired reproduction, and internal damage. Insects like springtails avoid soil contaminated with plastics and fail to reproduce in those environments.
The long-term effects on biodiversity could be devastating. Microplastics can alter the delicate microbial balance that keeps soil fertile. Once disrupted, this balance is hard to restore. Healthy soil is not just dirt. It is a living system, and it is now under threat from pollution we can barely see.
Plastics disrupt agricultural soil chemistry
Microplastics alter the very chemistry of soil. They do not decompose like organic matter. Instead, they accumulate. Over time, they interfere with how carbon and nitrogen cycle through the soil.
While some types of microplastics have been shown to increase greenhouse gas emissions like methane and carbon dioxide, others may appear chemically inert. This variability makes the problem harder to study and solve.
The one clear outcome is that microplastics reduce nitrogen fixation and interrupt the microbial activity responsible for keeping soil fertile.
Plants in plastic-contaminated soil may grow more slowly, absorb fewer nutrients, and yield less food. With nitrogen cycles disrupted, farmers may rely more on synthetic fertilisers, which create another cycle of pollution. This means a degraded soil base, poorer crops, and further contamination. It becomes an unending loop of decline.
Plastics reach human food and organs
Contamination does not stop at the farm gate. Microplastics have been found in nearly every type of food, including fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, and seafood. Apples, according to recent data, can contain as many as 233,000 plastic particles per gram.
Adults may unknowingly ingest more than five grams of plastic every week. That is about the weight of a credit card. And this plastic does not just pass through the body. It stays. Researchers have found plastic particles in the human bloodstream, lungs, heart, semen, placenta, and even arterial plaque.
“This makes the plastic crisis unchecked, and human health exposed,” Boctor said. The scope of contamination is not only widespread but deeply personal.
What we eat, drink, and breathe is now laced with plastic fragments. These are not just pollutants, they are intruders in our most sensitive biological systems.
Gaps in regulation and toxicity testing
Boctor’s review exposes glaring regulatory failures. There are no global or national limits for microplastics in agricultural soil or food. Testing is inadequate and often misleading.
Many laboratory studies use unrealistic plastic concentrations, underestimating the threat in real-world agricultural soil settings.
Toxicity assessments tend to ignore the combined effect of additives and environmental conditions. This piecemeal approach masks the cumulative harm caused by long-term, low-dose exposure to plastic pollution.
Even regions with some regulations fall short. The European Union has taken steps to limit BPA use, but most plastic additives still escape oversight. In the United States, the FDA has not revised BPA guidelines since 2013. In agriculture, the regulatory vacuum is even more severe.
Solutions for safe agricultural soil
Boctor’s team at the Bioplastics Innovation Hub is not waiting for regulation to catch up. They are working on alternatives designed to break down safely and nourish rather than pollute the soil. But innovation alone will not solve the problem.
“This review highlights the urgent need for coordinated scientific and regulatory efforts,” Joseph said. “Regulators, scientists and industry must collaborate to close the loopholes before plastic pollution further entrenches itself in the global food chain.”
The review is not just a warning. It is a call for immediate, united action. The soil is the foundation of life. We cannot afford to let it become a toxic reservoir. The choices we make now will determine whether future generations inherit fields of nourishment or beds of plastic.
The study is published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe.
—–
Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.
Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.
—–