PROLAND

Agricultural soils are major recipients of plastic pollution. In Norway four processes represent key sources: the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer, the use of plastic-contaminated digestates from biogas production, use and management of agricultural plastics in farming, and atmospheric depositions. The relevance and strength of these sources will differ between different types of farms and locations in Norway. The aims of PROLAND are: i) to characterize these sources’ relative importance for contaminating Norwegian farm soils; ii) to develop the first assessment of the levels of plastic and plastic-conveyed chemical contamination in Nordic farm soils; iii) to elucidate the toxicological risks posed by microplastics and their interaction with chemical contaminants and pesticides on soil ecosystems; iv) and to co-develop with farmers, water and biogas industries, agricultural plastic producers and retailers, waste managers and Norwegian governance, futures and perspectives to reduce or control inputs of plastic pollution to soils. PROLAND will elaborate quantitative information on plastic pollution sources into a national map of potential soil contamination. It will provide the first comprehensive survey of agricultural soil plastic contamination in Norway and further develop and deploy state of the art Deep Dives and Design Thinking approaches to co-create with stakeholders, knowledge for solutions and futures that add value to industrial assets while curbing pollution. PROLAND will generate a roadmap for protecting farm soil ecosystems, redefining agricultural sustainability, and endorsing safe circular use of biowaste. The project will inspire innovation agendas of farmers, industry and policy makers in Norway, and through clustering with international initiative, also in Europe. PROLAND will foster an early implementation of the European and Norwegian soil health strategies concerning plastic pollution, enabling healthier soils and better farming landscapes. Project information extracted from the Research Council of Norway.