Pesticides and Plastics: Understanding pervasive contamination of soils and the environment
•Download as PPTX, PDF•
0 likes•7 views
This presentation highlights key methods and issues arising from the research in the EU Horizon funded projects MINAGRIS and SPRINT regading the presence and effect of pesticides and plastics in the soil.
More Related Content
Similar to Pesticides and Plastics: Understanding pervasive contamination of soils and the environment
Similar to Pesticides and Plastics: Understanding pervasive contamination of soils and the environment (20)
More from Countryside and Community Research Institute
More from Countryside and Community Research Institute (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Pesticides and Plastics: Understanding pervasive contamination of soils and the environment
- 1. Understanding pervasive contamination of soils and the environment P E S T I C I D E S A N D P L A S T I C S Julie Ingram, Jane Mills, Matt Reed Honor Mackley-Ward & Charlotte Chivers
- 2. Understanding pervasive contamination of soils and the environment Presentation overview 01 Some good news, and our involvement EU Horizon2020 Conclusions & Next Steps Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils MINAGRIS 02 03 04 The sustainable plant protection transition SPRINT
- 3. We had good news recently...
- 4. Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils • Both EU Horizon 2020 projects • EU-wide, multi billion euro research funding organisation • Allows multiple specialist universities to work with stakeholders and conduct globally pioneering research • CCRI involved in SPRINT and MINAGRIS since 2021
- 5. Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils • Large number of scientific partners and stakeholders • Address pervasive risks to soil, environment and human health from agriculture • Focus on methods & standards • Multi actor approach • Case study approach • Results have implications for farming, pesticide and plastics industry, and for health Commonalities
- 6. Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils Large number of academic and industry partners
- 7. Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils • Multiple plastic uses and plastic types in use • Presence of plastic particles in soil - wide-ranging impacts on soil health, biodiversity and ecosystem services • No standard method for assessing concentrations of micro- and nano-plastics in soils or risks • Means field studies are often difficult to compare or interpret and no standardization hinders policy mechanisms The Challenge
- 8. • Most conventional farmers rely on pesticides to secure their yields. • Many pesticides are potentially harmful to environmental, animal and human health, and some remain in the environment for long periods. • Data on the risks of pesticides are fragmented and incomplete, particularly on “cocktail effects”. • Approaches to assessing the risks are not well harmonized between different sciences, hindering policy engagement. • The socio-economic pathways to reducing these risks are underdeveloped. The Challenge
- 9. Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils Multi-actor approach to: involve relevant stakeholders (farming, policy, plastic industry, society) identify awareness & needs ensure results are relevant capacity building, decision support disseminate results to a large audience MINAGRIS- 11 case studies across 6 European biogeographical regions SPRINT- 11 case studies across Europe and Argentina Approaches: Multi-actor and Case study
- 10. O • Assess the impact of plastic debris in agricultural soils on biodiversity, plant productivity ecosystem services • Assess the plastic debris transport and degradation in the environment • Provide standardized methods and quality criteria for the analysis of plastic debris in agricultural soils • Provide tools and recommendations for sustainable use of plastic in agriculture Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils Objectives
- 11. • 11 case study sites • A range of farming systems (cereals, horticulture, orchards, olive groves) • Farmer interviews and surveys about use, concerns, information needs (n=133) • Soil sampling scientific analysis • Farmer & stakeholder workshops Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils Case studies Field soil sampling Scientific analysis Participatory analysis
- 12. • 7x High value vegetables • 3x CSAs- organic • Stakeholders- grower representatives, plastic suppliers, recycling industry, policy makers & regulators, NGOs Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils UK Case study
- 13. • Citizen science app • 3 high level stakeholder forum with FAO, EU level trade associations, PlasticsEurope, APE Europe, European Bioplastics, BASF, NGOs and advocacy bodies etc Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils Engaging widely
- 14. • Fully assess the overall risks and impacts of pesticide formulations, residues and metabolites on the environment, animal and human health • Harmonise data collection approaches to this across Europe through a tested and validated Global Health Risk Assessment Toolbox • Assess the environmental and economic sustainability of alternative pesticide use strategies, co-developing transition pathways towards these with stakeholders
- 15. • Extensive sampling programme behind assessment and integration of approaches • A transdisciplinary research group: • Soil science • Social science • Agronomy • Ecology • Fate modelling • Epidemiology • Economics • Health sciences • (Eco)toxicology • Microbiology • What is the project intention?
- 16. The CCRI’s role in the SPRINT project… • Dissemination, communication, exploitation • Breaking down interdisciplinary “language barriers” • Designing engaging materials for diverse audiences • Press releases, social and traditional media • Facilitating the co-development of transition pathways with stakeholders • Policy impact: EU Farm to Fork & Sustainable Use Directive
- 17. Cutting edge …
- 18. Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils C •Policy impact: EU farm to fork & Sustainable Use Directive •International level •New methodologies •New partners & countries •New stakeholders •New disciplines – health •New challenges Conclusions
- 19. Micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soils C Thank you
Editor's Notes
- Both EU Horizon 2020 projects EU-wide, multi billion euro research funding organisation Allows multiple specialist universities to conduct globally pioneering research CCRI involved in SPRINT and MINAGRIS
- Both EU Horizon 2020 projects EU-wide, multi billion euro research funding organisation Allows multiple specialist universities to conduct globally pioneering research CCRI involved in SPRINT and MINAGRIS
- Porjects addresses similar challenges in terms of the lasting impacts on soil, environment, animal and human health of these products.
- SPRINT IS WORKING TO: assess the impacts of pesticides on environment and human health to accelerate the transition to more sustainable plant protection. SPRINT AIMS TO: Fully assess the overall risks and impacts of pesticide formulations, residues and metabolites on the environment, animal and human health Harmonise data collection approaches to this across Europe through a tested and validated Global Health Risk Assessment Toolbox Assess the environmental and economic sustainability of alternative pesticide use strategies, co-developing transition pathways towards these with stakeholders SPRINT is developing an integrated approach to assessing the combined risks of pesticides to environmental, animal and human health. Unique focus on how mixtures of pesticide residues interact in cocktail effects to impact health, be that environmental, human, microbial, soil, crop or animal health. Using this integrated, policy relevant approach to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable pesticide use. TO DO SO WE HAVE: 11 case study sites in Europe and Argentina. Why Argentina? Europe imports a significant amount of it’s animal feed from Argentina, and it is important the pesticide footprint of this is accounted for in our work.
- Complex, multi actor research project. We’ve got our 11 case study sites. We’ve got an extensive sampling programme looking for pesticides in people’s bodies, homes and food, on their pets, in livestock, insects and other animals, in crops, soil, river sediment and water. We’ll be bringing these results together to We’ve also got scientists from an array of disciplines collaborating on this. The intention is to produce a more accurate and harmonised policy relevant picture of the impact of pesticide use, and to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable pesticide use.
- Science communications across multiple platforms - Getting the science out there in approachable and interesting formats. - Can also mean facilitating discussions between experts from the various fields involved Production of engaging materials for multiple audiences, with very different areas of expertise Stakeholder engagement, policymaker engagement in particular building through project – hosted a SPRINT cross FAO global webinar recently, soon to present at the UN general assembly. This work will build in priority as results start to come in.