The team from Staffordshire University are spearheading ground-breaking research into microplastic pollution.
Ellie Harrison, who is completing a PhD in Microplastics in Agricultural Environments at the university, has called for farmers to aid her work.
She specialises in crop development and is researching whether microplastics affect germination and have an impact on invertebrates living in the soil.
“We are hoping for a multitude of farm types, including pastoral, arable and organic, and can travel to your location to retrieve the samples,” she said.
Collection of samples will be done in accorance with Covid-19 restrictions and take the lockdown into consideration.
The soil sampling will include taking three small soil samples (approximately a trowel worth) from farming areas, which will be analysed back at their laboratories.
Information from sampling areas will be kept confidential but will be used to inform future work and potentially be used for a future publication.
The scientists will also share their results so the farmers are informed about the amount of plastics including microplastics (pieces less than five millimetres long) found during the study.
Ellie said: “We know that plastic usage is important for farms, and we in no way wish to stop plastic from being used, but wish to have a greater understanding of the impacts that agricultural plastics pose and hope you can help us do that.”
NFU Regional Environment Adviser Sarah Faulkner, who took some members to meet the scientists last year, said: “We are supportive of the work being done at the university and it is important to be involved in this research from the very start.
“We are aware of the growing concern around plastic contamination in soils and we are involved in various work streams and discussions to better understand and contribute to the development of future policy on plastics.”
Farmers interested in taking part in the research can go to a survey link, which will allow the scientists to collect further information ahead of making contact: https://www. surveymonkey.co.uk/r/W3Z2FQ9
NFU members can also contact eleanor. aGFycmlzb25Ac3RhZmZzLmFjLnVr or call her on 07885 815777.
(Images: Microplastic nurdles - iStock / Claire Gwinnett, Professor of Forensic and Environmental Science, in the lab with another scientist and Staffordshire farmer Alan Warrington)