Microplastics have become omnipresent in soils used for agriculture in France

A study published on Thursday by the French agency for ecological transition reveals the almost systematic presence of microplastics on land intended for agriculture in Francerevealing for the first time the magnitude of this contamination.

Of the 33 samples taken in places as diverse as forests, meadows, vineyards and orchards, as well as in areas of large crops spread throughout metropolitan France, 25, that is, 76%, contained microplastics.

On average, the soils analyzed contained 15 microplastic particles per kg of dry soil.

The ecological transition agency points out in a statement that the data collected did not allow the source of the microplastics to be identified, but the agency “assumes that, for soils dedicated to agricultural activities, part of their origin comes from the agricultural practices implemented.” .

Coming from the degradation of plastics that accumulate in landfills or in the natural environment, microplastics are particles whose size is less than 5 millimeters.

Numerous studies have already focused on the pollution they generate in the oceans, but soil pollution is less known and is the subject of little work in France.

“This is the first study to characterize the magnitude of this contamination on a metropolitan France scale, in soils subjected to different agricultural uses and that did not receive direct contributions of plastic” due to human intervention, highlight the authors of the study.

The analyzes carried out revealed microplastic contamination in all the meadow soils (4 samples out of 4), in more than 3/4 of the soils from large crops (17 out of 21), in three out of four samples of vineyards and orchards, and in only one in four samples of forest soils.

The samples mainly contained polyethylene and polypropylene, polymers mostly present in plastic containers.

“This almost systematic presence of microplastics in the soils studied shows that it is urgent to continue these studies to provide monitoring data,” expanding the scope to urban areas and overseas territories, the researchers note.