Published

8 months ago

May 28, 2025

Alice Rush

In a new study, scientists have found that soil used for growing crops can contain up to 23 times more microplastics than the concentration found in oceans.

In the comprehensive study, published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe, the study authors set out to explore 1) sources of microplastics in soil, 2) how the microplastics and nanoplastics impact soil and crops, 3) microplastic and nanoplastic uptake by crops and 4) how these plastics can carry other pollutants and additives.

The study authors explained that plastic particles can get into the soil from various sources, both on and off the farm. Runoff and atmospheric pollution can contribute, while everything from mulch film and silage wrapping to farm equipment, pesticide containers and sewage sludge fertilizer can also shed microplastics and nanoplastics onto agricultural land.

In particular, plastic mulch film contributes the most amount of plastics, despite providing short-term yield increases, according to a separate study the authors cited.

“These microplastics are turning food-producing land into a plastic sink,” said Joseph Boctor, lead author of the study and Ph.D. candidate, as reported by Phys.org.

As explained in the study, microplastics and nanoplastics don’t remain in the soil. They can spread to other areas of the environment or be taken up by the crops from their roots as they grow.

Previous studies, also cited in this most recent study, confirmed the presence of microplastics in crops, including apples and pears, in addition to protein sources such as seafood and milk. In turn, the potential for consuming crops grown in microplastic-polluted soil is even more concerning following a 2024 study that found ingested microplastics could move from the gut to other organs, including the brain.

Environmental Sciences Europe (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s12302-025-01104-x

Microplastics and nanoplastics can negatively impact soil and plant health, the study determined. Using data from multiple previous studies, the study authors wrote that plastic pollutants are altering microbial diversity in soil, which can then disrupt nutrient and pH balances and nutrient availability in soil. For plants, these pollutants can disrupt photosynthesis, limit water uptake and increase stress, leading to less nutritious crops.

Even plastics considered less harmful, such as BPA-free materials, could still disrupt carbon and nitrogen ratios in soil or release other toxins into soil, but these materials remain understudied, according to the authors.

“And BPA-free does not equal risk-free,” Boctor said. “Replacement chemicals like BPF and BPS show comparable or greater endocrine-disrupting activity.”

As Earth.com reported, these alternatives to BPA have already been detected in some crops, including wheat, lettuce and carrots. The study authors noted that policies and scientific data around BPA and its alternatives range widely by country, and definitions of safe limits vary for soil versus other materials, like food and water.

Notably, the scientists raised concerns over increasing use of plastic additives and lack of studies and regulations around them, particularly because they found that soil microplastics could be exposed to 10,000 chemical additives that are currently unregulated in agriculture.

“This makes the plastic crisis unchecked, and human health exposed,” Boctor said. “This review tries to bring this creeping danger under the radar and shine a flashlight on regulators.”

While the study authors are calling for more research and regulations on plastics and their additives, they are also already getting to work on alternative options in the meantime.

Boctor, along with fellow scientists at the Bioplastics Innovation Hub — a collaboration between Murdoch University and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) — are working on a Smart Sprays Project. The project goal is to develop a non-toxic, water-retaining barrier that could replace microplastic-shedding practices, such as plastic mulching.

The post Agricultural Soil Can Contain Microplastics at 23x Higher Concentrations Than What Oceans Hold, Study Says appeared first on EcoWatch.

https://www.ecowatch.com/agricultural-soil-microplastics.html

Green Living

Earth911 Inspiration: Nothing In Vain

Published

17 hours ago

January 23, 2026

Alice Rush

Aristotle, who saw purpose and design in everything, wrote in several different works that “Nature does nothing in vain.” We reply that regardless of purpose, nature does everything with grace; we are fortunate to witness the miraculous results of 13.4 billion years of experimentation.

Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click the poster to get a larger image.

The post Earth911 Inspiration: Nothing In Vain appeared first on Earth911.

https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-nothing-in-vain/

Green Living

Can You Recycle Computers?

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2026

Alice Rush

Last Updated on January 21, 2026

Picture this: Your laptop of three years decides it’s going to conk out. What’s the most sustainable solution? Seeing if you can get it repaired, of course.

Fighting planned obsolescence is a full time job, and it occurs with way more than just electronics.

But lets say you can’t repair your laptop for some unforeseeable reason…what then? You recycle it of course.

Computers don’t belong in landfills, nor do most conventional curbside recycling programs accept them. So how do you recycle computers? Here’s everything you need to know about computer recycling (and why we need to dispose of them properly).

why should you recycle computers?

First, lets tackle the reason we should bother to recycle computers. Computers are made up of several components – and when we dump them out, they become notorious for leaking toxins and carcinogens into the environment. This poses a risk for humans, wildlife, and soil quality alike.

However, if we recycle computers, all those components get a second shot at life. There are several valuable materials in our old computers that can be used to make new electronics, thus reducing waste and pollution.

According to the EPA, recycling 1 million laptops saves enough energy to power ~3,500 U.S. homes for a year.

And if that’s not reason enough – improperly disposed computers can put your personal or business files at risk of being recovered. And that can escalate to data breaches or reputation damage (yikes).

how do I get rid of my old computer?

To get rid of your old computer, you must first back up your data, sign out of all accounts, wipe & destroy the hard drive, then recycle the computer through local e-waste centers or retailers with take-back programs (Best Buy, Staples, etc.).

To wipe a hard drive, be sure to back up any important data first. Use built-in tools like ‘reset this PC’ or check with your computer’s manufacturer to see specific instructions. For example, here’s how to wipe a Dell hard drive and erase a Mac hard drive.

For absolutely no chance of your data being recovered, it’s always best to remove and destroy the hard drive, if possible. Here’s a guide to destroying a hard drive safely.

Once the hard drive is no longer an issue, you can recycle computers through a number of drop-off or mail-in options.

drop off:

Local e-waste recycling events (make sure to ask if your specific computer will be accepted in advance). Check your local .gov to see when your next one will be!

Best Buy accepts various desktops, laptops, and tablets, including some accessories. There’s a limit of 3 items per household per day. They charge a small fee for recycling monitors.

Staples accepts computers & Macs. They charge a fee for monitors. When you recycle, you get rewards with their store!

Use ERI’s recycle search and find recycling locations near you. Just type in “computer recycling” and your zip code to learn what your options are.

mail-in:

Several manufacturers will accept mail-in recycling for their computer models. Dell and HP have trade-in programs for computers that meet certain standards, as well as recycling options for lesser functioning computers of any brand. Apple also accepts trade-in and recycling for several devices, including computers.

Green Citizen offers free mail-in recycling for laptops, desktops, and tablets, but there may be fees for data destruction.

Most of these places will also accept computer accessories, like keyboards, mice, etc. But be sure to double check!

should you remove the hard drive from a computer before recycling?

Yes, always remove the hard drive before recycling. It’s best to wipe it, then remove it and destroy it. Because even a wiped hard drive can still be recovered, to an extent.

Even if you empty the recycling bin on your computer it doesn’t guarantee that the content is gone because the computer marks that data space to be overwritten with new data. So if the data hasn’t been overwritten, data recovery software can pick it up.

does best buy erase hard drives when recycling?

Best Buy offers tips and advice on wiping hard drives and data for Windows computers prior to drop off, but won’t actually do it for you. It’s best to go prepared by wiping/destroying your hard drive first.

So, what did you think of this guide to recycling computers? Let me know in the comments!

The post Can You Recycle Computers? appeared first on Going Zero Waste.

Can You Recycle Computers?

Green Living

Best of Sustainability In Your Ear: Carbonfuture is Building the Trust Infrastructure for Carbon Removal

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2026

Alice Rush

Read a transcript of this episode. Subscribe to receive transcripts: Learn more.

The carbon removal industry stands at a crucial crossroads. While cutting emissions remains essential, avoiding catastrophic warming now requires pulling billions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere permanently. But as this nascent field grapples with questions of legitimacy, scalability, and accountability, a critical challenge remains: How do we build the infrastructure needed to track, verify, and certify that carbon has actually been removed and stays removed? Meet Hannes Junginger-Gestrich, CEO of Carbonfuture, a company helping define the monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) infrastructure that could transform carbon removal from scattered efforts into a functioning ecosystem. Launched five years ago, Carbonfuture has emerged as what CDR.fyi describes as “the largest facilitator of durable carbon removal” by volume. The company’s digital platform integrates data across the carbon removal life cycle, connecting diverse approaches like biochar, enhanced rock weathering, and direct air capture with buyers seeking to meet climate commitments. “We are probably more the crowd, the ground keepers in a stadium that makes sure that everything is provided properly,” Hannes explains, using a sports analogy to describe their role: “We are the ground keepers in a stadium [who ensure] the players have a playing field that’s in shape and no one gets hurt, and the audience can come and they pay their tickets and have a good experience.”

Hannes Junginger-Gestrich, CEO of Carbonfuture, is our guest on Sustainability In Your Ear.

The MRV infrastructure becomes crucial as corporate demand for verified carbon removal grows and trust becomes currency. One of the most interesting aspects of the conversation centers on balancing data confidentiality with transparency needs, particularly when collecting data along industrial value chains from agricultural residue producers to biochar processors to end users. Perhaps most telling is Junginger-Gestrich’s unwavering commitment to scientific rigor over short-term economic gains: “We never had to trade off between rigor and allowing a not so good project on our platform for economic reasons. We always lean to the scientific and rigorous side.” This philosophy has guided Carbonfuture’s work with leading buyers like Microsoft, helping develop increasingly sophisticated approaches to carbon removal verification. While Junginger-Gestrich expresses concern about delayed emission reductions globally, he remains optimistic about carbon removal scaling: “I think we will be on the path to the gigatons by 2040 for sure.” His vision emphasizes ecosystem thinking over vertical integration, aiming to drive down costs while creating network effects that could accelerate the entire field. As governments worldwide grapple with climate policy, the monitoring, reporting, and verification systems companies like Carbonfuture are developing now may well determine the success of our collective effort to reverse climate change. You can learn more about Carbonfuture at carbonfuture.earth.