Want to come to a fascinating event all about the impact of microplastics on soil? The registration for our end-of-programme conference on the 16th September 2025 in Brussels is OPEN. Find out more and sign up here: buff.ly/yJk6vMi #soilscience

We don’t need to just consider the impact of microplastics on soils – new research shows a complicated set of interactions between microplastics, pesticides and veterinary medicines. View the insights below 👇️ buff.ly/V0KMv9B #soilscience

It's out! Our latest newsletter has landed (or rather, has been digitally uploaded...) 📰 We've got a bumper issue of new articles, research and everything MINAGRIS has been up to. You can read it or download it 👉 buff.ly/CspHIia. #microplastics #minagris #horizoneu #innovation

What happens to soils when microplastics meet farm chemicals? New research from MINAGRIS reveals that microplastics in soil can significantly disrupt the nitrogen cycle—a critical process for plant nutrition—especially when combined with common farm chemicals. #soilscience buff.ly/5hrp45J

Webinar alert! Friday 20th February 2026, 12 noon CET (11am GMT) 🖥️ 'When microplastics meet agrochemicals: interactive effects on soil microbes and nitrogen cycling.' Register here: buff.ly/mPKRrA3

Webinar alert! Friday 20th February 2026, 12 noon CET (11am GMT) 🖥️ 'When microplastics meet agrochemicals: interactive effects on soil microbes and nitrogen cycling.' Register here: buff.ly/mPKRrA3

As Nordic countries advocate for increasing domestic food production, this article explores the issues facing Nordic countries & advocates for a collective approach to monitor plastic pollution. ikhapp.org/stories-and-... #soilscience

It's always amazing to go for walks in the countryside. But how often do you come across rubbish left lying around - including plastics that can degrade into microplastics and leach chemicals into the soil? Here's how you can help - watch the video! buff.ly/ZFo27ZG%3E

Did you know that nanoplastics (plastic particles about 1000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair) can enter plant roots through tiny cracks that form where lateral roots emerge. Our latest blog explores the evidence: buff.ly/dkLfPk5 #soilscience #horizoneurope

Professor Edoardo Puglisi, in our webinar at the end of last year, explored the microbial world that grows on the surface of plastics – the plastisphere – a new ecosystem having interesting and unanticipated effects on our world. Watch our catch-up video: buff.ly/VVL93wO #soilscience

Season's Greetings from everyone at Minagris!

Our expert and senior researcher, Dr Esperanza Huerta Lwanga has been very busy over the last month! She shared a session on microplastics in the terrestrial food chain, presenting work from MINAGRIS at a stakeholder-focused event where MOMENTUM also presented key results.

A report commissioned by the German state of Brandenburg found that large-scale asparagus cultivation has already caused significant harm to local birdlife. Protected species such as red kites and white storks have seen a serious decline in breeding success and population numbers. buff.ly/sQZ7TT3

You can now watch the recording of Prof. Edoardo Puglisi’s webinar on the Plastisphere, a fascinating microbial world that forms on plastic surfaces. Watch the full webinar now on YouTube and join the conversation on how soil, microbes and plastics intersect! buff.ly/CntV40Y

Meet the SoilPlastic App: an easy-to-use tool that lets anyone record plastic pollution they spot in soils. It’s free on iOS, Android, or your browser. • Spot plastic debris in fields. • Snap a photo & log it in the app. • Help reveal hidden plastic. Download & start scanning now.

Join us for a FREE World Soil Day 2025 webinar TOMORROW! The Plastisphere: A Nexus Between Soil, Plant, Animal & Human Health

Freie Universität Berlin have defined the soil plastisphere: tiny plastic particles in soil that become home to unique microbial communities. These microbes live, grow, and interact on the plastic surface, forming a mini-ecosystem that’s less diverse and may carry antibiotic-resistant genes.

Researchers at Freie Universität Berlin have defined the soil plastisphere: tiny plastic particles in soil that become home to unique microbial communities. You can find out more about the soil plastisphere at our upcoming webinar: buff.ly/YlxLw0f

Last week, Ildiko Heim and Amila Abeynayaka represented MINAGRIS at the NETmicroplastic conference in Tulln, Austria. A take away from the conference was that farmers shouldn’t bear the environmental and financial costs of plastics on their own. Everyone must act, from product design to policy.

Join us for a free webinar on World Soil Day 2025 🌍 The plastisphere: a nexus between soil, plant, animal and human health with speaker Edoardo Puglisi, Professor of Agricultural Microbiology, Facoltà di Scienze, AgrarieUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Book your place now: buff.ly/8mm8B6L

The new nova-Institute report, “Mapping of Global Advanced Plastic Recycling Capacities,” reveals 390 advanced recycling plants worldwide, planned, installed, or operating, with Europe leading the way in innovation. buff.ly/HqMfP2p

Join us for a free webinar on World Soil Day 2025 🌍 The plastisphere: a nexus between soil, plant, animal and human health with speaker Edoardo Puglisi, Professor of Agricultural Microbiology, Facoltà di Scienze, AgrarieUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Book your place now: buff.ly/8mm8B6L

Across 11 study sites in 6 biogeographical regions of Europe, MINAGRIS is working with farmers, advisors and scientists to understand how agricultural plastics and other contaminants affect soils, crops and ecosystems. #Agriculture #Sustainability #MINAGRIS #HorizonEU #Plastic #Research #Europe

Microplastics aren’t just in the ocean, they’re in our soil all around us too. Researchers from Lancaster University have found that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils is steadily increasing. #Microplastics #MINAGRIS #Sustainability #Environment #ClimateChange #FoodSecurity #HorizonEU

We spoke to Wolfgang Palme about the feasibility of using alternatives to plastics in agriculture. It's an interesting listen, showing that innovation will be necessary. #farming #soilhealth #plasticpollution

We are looking people people across Europe to sign up to our SoilPlastic app to report sightings of plastic in soils. Want to know what that involves before you download? Watch the video below 👇 #soilscience

Over the next year, MINAGRIS will be producing all of its final research results, helping us understand much more about the impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on agricultural soils. Sign up to our monthly newsletter you will be the first to know what we are doing and learning: buff.ly/z9YZUay

A new exhibition in Venice, called Breathtaking, features public figures wrapped in plastics, symbolically showing the suffocation of the oceans and the life within it by plastic pollution. Read more about the exhibition here: buff.ly/NzF4OmU #microplastics

MINAGRIS was represented at the Joint International Conference of MikroBioKosmos Society & CEESME last month by Stathis Lagos and Eleni Lamprou in September. It's fantastic to see our researchers hard at work sharing new research to audiences across Europe 👏👏👏 #mbkceesme2025 #soilscience

A review of available scientific data has revealed that far from plastic being an 'inert' material, the level of additives/chemicals in plastics is causing problems across the globe. Read the journal article here: buff.ly/i3X6Wgi and a short summary article here: buff.ly/SV5maeX

Last week MINAGRIS held its fourth General Meeting in Vienna. The main takeaways? Some great research is emerging on plastics and soil microbiome, plastics in real-world farming conditions, and what to do at the policy and practice level. Here are the assembled troops of committed scientists 🔬🧪💪

At the 4th General Assembly of @minagriseu.bsky.social, the #SoilPlastic #CitizenScience App was also in focus: a mobile App for documenting plastic waste on agricultural fields: www.spotteron.net/apps/horizon... #HorizonEurope #Soil #Microplastics #Nanoplastics #Agriculture

The FAO has published a major new report on the state of agricultural soils. #Microplastics can change the properties of soil and get into plants via root systems, say the authors. #soilscience Read our summary with links to the full report: buff.ly/GWdfvsl

In our new blog, we explore what happened at the talks, why plastic pollution is contributing to transgressing planetary boundaries, and the five things a coalition of the willing (that's you, too!) can do to create a critical mass for change. buff.ly/czdIbbf #microplastics #globalplasticstreaty

Do you want to help us by doing some citizen science? We launched the SoilPlastic app to help us track plastic sightings in soils, and we hope to tell a story about the extent of plastic waste in our soils. Download the app now - buff.ly/0OZT8Zu - and make a difference. See how it works 👇

In case you missed it, here's our fifth MINAGRIS briefing, covering the potential for global plastics policy development, an interview with Giulia Carcasci from the FAO, and everything we've been up to 2024-5. Find it here: buff.ly/gCXu1Ll #microplastics #soilscience #horizoneurope

Investigating the impact of microplastics in combination with common farm chemicals is a lot of work. Here are Esperanza Huerta Lwanga and Nicolas Beriot are doing field work in the Netherlands. Let’s give them a massive thanks for all the work they do! #soilscience

Industrial societies have produced over 100 million novel entities, with anywhere between 35,000 and 400,000 currently in use (Guardian). Their prevalence has exceeded planetary boundaries into the risk zone. Read the full report from Deep Science Ventures: buff.ly/28hCxgc

A new study has shown that humans can inhale as much as 68,000 microplastic particles daily. Smaller particles can find their way into many parts of our bodies, affecting our health, the soil and ecosystems. Read the article below 👇

What happens to a soil organism, Springtails, when different types of #microplastics are combined with common farm chemicals? The results show that biodegradable plastics are not as harmless as they seem. Read our factsheet here: buff.ly/RitNwAt #soilscience

Biodegradable plastic film (PBAT) is often posed as an alternative to conventional plastics for agricultural use. But how does it affect soil and plant growth? Here's what research supported by MINAGRIS found: buff.ly/tFBSKY5 #soilscience

What are the effects of #plastics, and the chemicals it contains, on human and planetary health? The Lancet is planning to track this through their Countdown on Health and Plastics. Read more about this important initiative here: buff.ly/zaOHmYS

The latest failure of the #GlobalPlasticsTreaty is disappointing but not unexpected - the latest example of the collapse of the multilateral order, the political polarisation of sustainability agendas and the consequent spread of misinformation. What can we do? See below 👇

This sweeping French scientific review shows how microplastics are affecting agricultural soils and argues for a shift of thinking away from recycling towards prevention and the development of viable alternatives. Read the summary and full report here: buff.ly/flwJFDp

The #microplastic journey...through water, soil, what we eat, in our bodies, and more 🍎🥕🥬. This article from The Guardian tells the story of how #plastic moves through ecosystems from a simple act like washing an acrylic jumper. Read more here:

❓ How do #microplastics affect soil invertebrates - earthworms, woodlice, spiders, springtails, mites, and some insects 🪱🐛🕷️ Research shows it makes them sick, gives them inflammation, gut damage, affects their immune system and more. Read more here:

We assume that #biodegradable #plastics are better for the soil, but are they? This article reveals negative impacts on soil nitrogen levels. MINAGRIS is considering the benefits against risks, and also factor in action at every stage of the lifecycle of plastics. #soilscience

Our latest biannual briefing is out, including interviews and articles with policymakers and thinkers about how to create sustainable #plastics policies and regulations in this era of polarisation. Download here 👉 buff.ly/qfASiJ5 #soilscience

Some bioplastics labelled as compostable are causing headaches at compost facilities globally 🌍 In this article on the US, poor regulation of terms like 'compostable' mean unwanted #microplastics are finding their way into compost.

What do testicles, clouds, beer and arctic ice all have in common? These are all places you might find #microplastics. Check out this handy explainer on what they are, where they're found, and even how they interact with our #climate here: buff.ly/MJP9cxl