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Microplastics may enter freshwater and soil via compost

A new study traces the contamination of fertilizer back to household and supermarket waste

plastic pollution

TAINTED SOIL Compost from homes and grocery stores that’s spread on fields as fertilizers is an overlooked source of plastic pollution.

Chrissine Cairns/flickr (CC BY 2.0)

By Rachel Ehrenberg

- More than 2 years ago

Composting waste is heralded as being good for the environment. But it turns out that compost collected from homes and grocery stores is a previously unknown source of microplastic pollution, a new study April 4 in Science Advances reports.