This new research from Università degli Studi di Bari provides a detailed look at the risks of agricultural plastic pollution in southern Italy. The study, titled “From Plastics to Micro- and Nano-Plastics: Mapping Agricultural Pollution Risk in a Mediterranean Region of Italy,” focuses on the Apulia region, a vital area for horticulture and viticulture that relies often on plastic materials.
Here are the main findings:
– Spatial Mapping: using a high-resolution 1:5000 land use map and GIS technology, the team estimated the annual generation of agricultural plastic waste (APW) across the region.
– Risk Assessment: the study introduced the Agricultural Plastic Pollution Risk Index (APPRI), a new semi-quantitative indicator to estimate where micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) are most likely to be released into the environment.
– Hotspots: the analysis identified vineyards, orchards, and olive groves as the areas with the highest potential risk for plastic-derived soil pollution.
This research is a crucial step forward for the PAPILLONS mission to understand the long-term sustainability of plastics in European agriculture and to protect our soil health.
Read the full study here.