Addressing the environmental sustainability of plastics used in agriculture: a multi-actor perspective
Plastics used in agriculture, commonly known as agriplastics (AP), offer numerous advantages in terrestrial agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, but the diffusion of AP-intensive practices has led to extensive pollution. This review aims to synthesise scientific and policy discussions s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Cambridge Prisms: Plastics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2755094X24000348/type/journal_article |
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| author | Valentina E. Tartiu Rachel Hurley Cecilie Baann Demetres Briassoulis Evelia Schettini Fabiana Convertino Bernard Le Moine Adalgisa Martinelli Luc Vernet Sissel B. Ranneklev Violette Geissen Esperanza Huerta Lwanga Nicolas Beriot Defu He Richard H. Thompson Giulia Carcasci Luca Nizzetto |
| author_facet | Valentina E. Tartiu Rachel Hurley Cecilie Baann Demetres Briassoulis Evelia Schettini Fabiana Convertino Bernard Le Moine Adalgisa Martinelli Luc Vernet Sissel B. Ranneklev Violette Geissen Esperanza Huerta Lwanga Nicolas Beriot Defu He Richard H. Thompson Giulia Carcasci Luca Nizzetto |
| author_sort | Valentina E. Tartiu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plastics used in agriculture, commonly known as agriplastics (AP), offer numerous advantages in terrestrial agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, but the diffusion of AP-intensive practices has led to extensive pollution. This review aims to synthesise scientific and policy discussions surrounding AP, examining evidence of their benefits and detrimental environmental and agricultural impacts. Following the proposal of a preliminary general taxonomy of AP, this paper presents the findings from a survey conducted among international experts from the plastic industry, farmer organisations, NGOs and environmental research institutes. This analysis highlights knowledge gaps, demands and perspectives for the sustainable future use of AP. Stakeholder positions vary on the options of ‘rejection’ or ‘reduction’ of AP, as well as the role of alternative materials such as (bio)degradable and compostable plastics. However, there is consensus on critical issues such as redesign, labelling, traceability, environmental safety standards, deployment and retrieval standards, as well as innovative waste management approaches. All stakeholders express concern for the environment. A ‘best practice’-based circular model was elaborated capturing these perspectives. In the context of global food systems increasingly reliant on AP, scientists emphasise the need to simultaneously preserve nature-based and traditional knowledge-based sustainable agricultural practices to enhance food system resilience. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9a89a8a24ef4f9ba2590e8fce6bebe0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2755-094X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cambridge Prisms: Plastics |
| spelling | doaj-art-b9a89a8a24ef4f9ba2590e8fce6bebe02025-08-20T03:13:10ZengCambridge University PressCambridge Prisms: Plastics2755-094X2025-01-01310.1017/plc.2024.34Addressing the environmental sustainability of plastics used in agriculture: a multi-actor perspectiveValentina E. Tartiu0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7272-9824Rachel Hurley1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9716-2484Cecilie Baann2Demetres Briassoulis3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1430-7786Evelia Schettini4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8456-8677Fabiana Convertino5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3799-6038Bernard Le Moine6Adalgisa Martinelli7Luc Vernet8Sissel B. Ranneklev9Violette Geissen10https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6937-3791Esperanza Huerta Lwanga11https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4552-5703Nicolas Beriot12https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1988-2467Defu He13https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0850-0881Richard H. Thompson14Giulia Carcasci15Luca Nizzetto16https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1400-657XNorwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, NorwayNorwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, NorwayNorwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Natural Resources & Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, GreeceDepartment of Soil, Plant and Food Science (DISSPA), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, ItalyDepartment of Soil, Plant and Food Science (DISSPA), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, ItalyAgriculture Plastics & Environment Europe (APE), Paris, FranceFarm Europe, Bruxelles, BelgiumFarm Europe, Bruxelles, BelgiumNorwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, NorwaySoil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The NetherlandsSoil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The NetherlandsSoil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The NetherlandsSchool of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, ChinaIndipendent Consultant, previously FAOThe Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, ItalyNorwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, Norway RECETOX – Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech RepublicPlastics used in agriculture, commonly known as agriplastics (AP), offer numerous advantages in terrestrial agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, but the diffusion of AP-intensive practices has led to extensive pollution. This review aims to synthesise scientific and policy discussions surrounding AP, examining evidence of their benefits and detrimental environmental and agricultural impacts. Following the proposal of a preliminary general taxonomy of AP, this paper presents the findings from a survey conducted among international experts from the plastic industry, farmer organisations, NGOs and environmental research institutes. This analysis highlights knowledge gaps, demands and perspectives for the sustainable future use of AP. Stakeholder positions vary on the options of ‘rejection’ or ‘reduction’ of AP, as well as the role of alternative materials such as (bio)degradable and compostable plastics. However, there is consensus on critical issues such as redesign, labelling, traceability, environmental safety standards, deployment and retrieval standards, as well as innovative waste management approaches. All stakeholders express concern for the environment. A ‘best practice’-based circular model was elaborated capturing these perspectives. In the context of global food systems increasingly reliant on AP, scientists emphasise the need to simultaneously preserve nature-based and traditional knowledge-based sustainable agricultural practices to enhance food system resilience.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2755094X24000348/type/journal_articleagriplasticsplastic pollutionagricultureplastic wastemulti-actor approach |
| spellingShingle | Valentina E. Tartiu Rachel Hurley Cecilie Baann Demetres Briassoulis Evelia Schettini Fabiana Convertino Bernard Le Moine Adalgisa Martinelli Luc Vernet Sissel B. Ranneklev Violette Geissen Esperanza Huerta Lwanga Nicolas Beriot Defu He Richard H. Thompson Giulia Carcasci Luca Nizzetto Addressing the environmental sustainability of plastics used in agriculture: a multi-actor perspective Cambridge Prisms: Plastics agriplastics plastic pollution agriculture plastic waste multi-actor approach |
| title | Addressing the environmental sustainability of plastics used in agriculture: a multi-actor perspective |
| title_full | Addressing the environmental sustainability of plastics used in agriculture: a multi-actor perspective |
| title_fullStr | Addressing the environmental sustainability of plastics used in agriculture: a multi-actor perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Addressing the environmental sustainability of plastics used in agriculture: a multi-actor perspective |
| title_short | Addressing the environmental sustainability of plastics used in agriculture: a multi-actor perspective |
| title_sort | addressing the environmental sustainability of plastics used in agriculture a multi actor perspective |
| topic | agriplastics plastic pollution agriculture plastic waste multi-actor approach |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2755094X24000348/type/journal_article |
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