Agriplastics are commonly used in farming for growing and storing produce, but their entire lifecycle – production, use and disposal – poses serious environmental and health risks.
Whether from direct applications like mulch films and irrigation systems or indirect sources such as compost and sludge, agriplastics accumulate in soil, degrading fertility and disrupting ecosystems. Mismanagement practices like on-farm burning or burial further intensify the problem.
This document explores human health risks, particularly for workers exposed to plastics across their lifecycle, and highlights the urgent need for better waste management and more robust research into long-term impacts.