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Air Monitoring TALKING POINT What is ‘plasticulture’ – and is it polluting soil around the world?


The agricultural sector has long embraced innovation to improve effi ciency and yield. Among the signifi cant advancements is the use of plastics in farming, commonly referred to as plasticulture. This practice encompasses various applications of plastic, including greenhouse covers, plastic mulch, irrigation tubes, hoop houses, and more. While plasticulture has undeniably revolutionized modern farming, it also brings to light critical environmental concerns, primarily the pollution of soil and potential threats to food safety.


Plasticulture traces its origins to 1948 when E.M. Emmert, a horticulturist at the University of Kentucky, experimented with polyethylene sheets as a cheaper alternative to glass for greenhouse sides. This innovation allowed light to penetrate while retaining warmth, creating an ideal environment for plant growth. This early experiment marked the beginning of plastic’s widespread use in agriculture, leading to a signifi cant transformation in farming practices.


Today, plastic is ubiquitous in agriculture. It lines greenhouses, covers fi elds as plastic mulch, forms hoop houses, and serves as irrigation tubes. Satellite images from NASA even show vast stretches of farmland appearing white, dusted with plastic, underscoring the material’s extensive use. The agricultural sector is responsible for approximately 3.5 percent of global plastic production, translating to millions of tons of plastic annually.


However, this widespread adoption has a dark side. Over time, plastic degrades into tiny fl akes and accumulates in the soil, creating a reservoir of microplastics. These microplastics pose a signifi cant environmental threat, infi ltrating various ecosystems, including oceans, rivers, and even human bodies. Studies have detected microplastics in drinking water, seafood, and even the human placenta, highlighting their pervasive nature and potential health risks.


How plasticulture can pollute soil


The Earth’s soils, particularly those used for agriculture, have become repositories for plastic waste. Agricultural soils are thought to contain more microplastics than oceans, which hold an estimated 358 trillion plastic particles. These plastics not only originate from farming activities but also from other industrial sources, washed onto farms during fl oods or carried by the wind. Microplastics in soil can disrupt soil health, aff ecting microbial communities and soil fertility, which in turn impacts crop yields.


One of the primary challenges in addressing soil pollution from plasticulture is the lack of viable remediation techniques. Removing microplastics from soil is incredibly challenging, and current strategies focus more on prevention than cleanup. The production of plastics, largely driven by fossil fuels, contributes signifi cantly to climate change, which in turn exacerbates the need for plastic in farming to combat extreme weather conditions. This creates a vicious cycle where the demand for plastics grows, further contributing to environmental degradation.


Plasticulture has both benefi ts and drawbacks. On the positive side, plastic mulch, one of the most common forms of plasticulture, helps conserve water, reduce the need for pesticides, prevent soil erosion, and increase crop yields. It creates a microenvironment that enhances plant growth, providing protection against extreme weather and pests.


However, the environmental implications cannot be ignored. Plastic waste from agricultural activities often ends up in landfi lls, is burned, or is left in the environment, leading to soil and water contamination. The production and degradation of plastics release greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change. Additionally, the presence of microplastics in soil can have unknown long-term eff ects on food safety and human health.


Can plasticulture become sustainable?


Eff orts to mitigate the environmental impact of plasticulture are underway. Scientists are developing biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics used in farming. These biodegradable plastics can decompose into natural substances like carbon dioxide and water, reducing their environmental footprint. However, questions remain about their long-term impact on soil ecosystems and their overall effi cacy.


Another potential solution is the use of plant-based or recycled plastics, which can reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower the carbon footprint of agricultural plastics. Innovations in plastic recycling and the development of more sustainable farming practices are essential steps toward reducing the environmental impact of plasticulture.


Plasticulture has undoubtedly transformed modern agriculture, off ering numerous benefi ts in terms of effi ciency and crop yield. However, its environmental costs, particularly the pollution of soil with microplastics, pose signifi cant challenges. As the global community becomes increasingly aware of these issues, there is a growing push for more sustainable practices and materials in agriculture.


The future of plasticulture hinges on balancing the need for agricultural effi ciency with environmental sustainability. Embracing biodegradable alternatives, improving recycling eff orts, and reducing overall plastic use are crucial steps toward achieving this balance. By prioritizing sustainability, we can ensure that the benefi ts of plasticulture do not come at the expense of our planet’s health and the safety of our food systems.


Early users applaud AI air quality tool


A new web-based AI tool, designed to help create air quality assessments, is receiving rave reviews from initial users. Over 20 air quality consultancies are currently beta testing the Airly AI tool, which has been developed to accelerate air quality assessments for planning and development proposals. After two weeks of evaluation, the tool has been used extensively over 100 times, and Airly Product Lead Marta Steiner says: “The feedback has been very positive, 80% of all testing users reported very signifi cant time saving, with data collection taking seconds - instead of hours or days! and 70% of the Airly AI users said that the product exceeded their expectations.”


Developers and planning authorities utilise air quality assessments to model the air quality impacts of proposed developments, and with around 30,000 people dying prematurely from air pollution in the UK every year, these reports perform a critical role in sustainable development.


The Airly AI tool automates the gathering of information that would previously have been painstakingly obtained from multiple online sources of local geographic, environmental and transport data. For example, the Annual Status Reports, which include monitoring data, from 99% of Councils have been digitised by Airly AI, and 92% are now automatically available in the tool.


Certain features of the new tool have been found to be particularly benefi cial. For example, the majority of users indicated that editable tables with diffusion tube and monitoring site data bring the greatest value to their work, and most commented that the quality of AI generated content is equal to their own. Similarly, the automatic drawing of road links on the GIS map has been extremely popular; typically reducing the time taken for this task by around 70%.


The beta testing will end shortly, but Marta says: “This evaluation period has provided a great opportunity for air quality professionals to understand how Airly AI can help them. The users are using the Airly AI tool extensively in their everyday work, which clearly demonstrates the willingness of air quality companies to adopt new technologies and embrace new opportunities for their businesses.


“Feedback from these early users is being used to further enhance the tool’s capability because we are determined that it should be developed to meet their precise needs,” she adds. “The next milestone on the Airly AI road map is to enable air quality consultants to automate other types of air quality assessments.”


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