Division of Environment and Natural Resources
PROLAND – Protecting agricultural lands from plastic pollution
End: jun 2026
Start: apr 2023
PROLAND addresses the sources of plastic pollution in agricultural soils: sewage sludge, compost, biogas digestate, agricultural plastics, and atmospheric deposition. The project unfolds pressures of plastic and associated chemical hazards by analyzing their levels in soils and conducting fate and impact studies. It deploys cutting edge “design thinking” methods to co-develop measures for pollution prevention.
More information
Link to PROLAND's website at NIVA Link to PROLAND's facebook For information on biodegradable plastics in soils and waste streams - Link to DGRADE websiteProject participants
Erik J. Joner Sissel Brit Ranneklev Rachel Hurley Birgitta Ralston Cecilie Baann Line Johanne Barkved| Start - end date | 01.04.2023 - 30.06.2026 |
| Project manager | Luca Nizzetto |
| Project manager at Nibio | Claire Coutris |
| Division | Division of Environment and Natural Resources |
| Department | Bioresources and Recycling Technologies |
| Partners | NIVA, BioRegion Institute, Hold Norge Rent, Norsk Vann, Norwaste, Norges Bondelag |
| Total budget | 14 mill. NOK |
| Funding source | Norwegian Research Council |
The main aim of the project is to reduce plastic pollution in agricultural soils of Norway, and beyond.
At NIBIO, we investigate what happens to plastics in soil, to what extent different organisms in soil are exposed to microplastics, and the effects. Knowledge of exposure and toxicity is essential for assessing risk, and our main goals are to increase knowledge about:
- Mobility of microplastics and adsorbed pesticides and additives in different soil types
- Factors that influence exposure to microplastics in soil organisms
- Toxicity of microplastics and adsorbed pesticides and additives towards soil organisms
We are also contributing to our research partners' work related to:
- Mapping sources of plastic in agricultural soils (WP1, led by Rachel Hurley, NIVA)
- Determining concentrations of (micro)plastics and their additives in agricultural soils (WP 2, led by Sissel Ranneklev, NIVA)
- Collecting information from stakeholders about their challenges with agricultural plastics (WP4, led by Birgitta Ralston, BioRegion Institute)
Publications in the project
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Plastic mulch films are widely used in agriculture, often in combination with pesticide application. While biodegradable plastic mulch films (BDM) are designed for soil incorporation, their influence on pesticide fate remains poorly understood. We investigated the influence of BDM on the degradation kinetics of four widely used pesticides (boscalid, pyraclostrobin, fluopyram and pyraflufen ethyl) in two agricultural soils under controlled conditions. Pesticides were applied at agronomically relevant doses either directly to soil or adsorbed onto a commercially available PBAT-starch BDM prior to soil incorporation, and pesticides and their relevant metabolites were monitored for 112 days. Adsorption to BDM significantly slowed pesticide degradation for all compounds, increasing degradation half-life DT50 values by factors of 2-26 compared with direct soil application. While degradation pathways were not fundamentally altered, the presence of mulch delayed metabolite formation and prolonged pesticide persistence. Rapid degradation of pyraflufen ethyl led to the accumulation of pyraflufen-ethyl metabolite E 3, a highly persistent multi halogenated metabolite that remains analytically and regulatorily overlooked. BDM itself showed limited mass loss (12 %) over the experimental period, suggesting that pesticide-plastic interactions can persist over environmentally relevant timescales. Overall, this study identifies plastic mulch residues as overlooked modifiers of pesticide persistence and metabolite accumulation in soil, suggesting that plastic-pesticide interactions warrant further consideration in environmental exposure and risk assessment frameworks.
Authors
Claire CoutrisAbstract
Recovering and recycling agricultural mulch films can be costly and difficult because the plastics are often contaminated with soil, plant and pesticide residues. Biodegradable mulch films offer a potential alternative, but what happens when they are left in the field? Using examples from Norwegian field and laboratory studies, this presentation will explore how biodegradable mulch films degrade in soil, how they interact with pesticides, and what this means for the use of agricultural plastics in a circular economy. This session will provide a basis for discussion among project partners on experiences with biodegradable and conventional mulch films across different agricultural, environmental and waste-management contexts.
Abstract
Funn fra PROLAND: Soppmidler og mikroplast i jorda Forskerne i PROLAND-prosjektet har undersøkt hva som skjer når soppmidler enten adsorberes på bionedbrytbar plastfolie som blir pløyd ned i jorda, kontra at de blandes direkte i jorda. Har dette noe å si for nedbrytningen av soppmidlene? Forskerne har fulgt nedbrytningsforløpet til tre soppmidler tillatt i norsk landbruk, og har nå svaret… Vi får også et unikt innblikk i hvordan meitemarken – naturens egen jordbearbeider – påvirkes av mikroplast. Hvor lang tid tar det for eksempel før en mikroplastpartikkel passerer gjennom meitemarkens tarm? Temaet er kanskje lite delikat på selveste valentinsdagen, men passer utmerket for oss som er nysgjerrige på mikroplastens mobilitet i jorda.