Tonnes of microplastics infiltrate Australia’s agricultural soils each year, study shows

By Shima Ziajahromi, Advance Queensland Research Fellow, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University
Frederic Leusch, Professor of Environmental Science, Griffith University
Hsuan-Cheng Lu, Senior Research Assistant, Griffith University

Compost applied to agricultural soils in Australia each year contains tonnes of microplastics, our research has revealed. These microplastics can harm soil and plant health and eventually enter food crops, potentially posing a risk to humans.

In Australia, more than 51% of organic waste – including garden and food waste from households – is recovered and processed. Much of it is turned into compost.

However,…

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