TY - JOUR

T1 - Plastics matter in the food system

AU - Yates, J

AU - Deeney, M

AU - Munck, J

AU - Carney Almroth, B

AU - Dignac, Marie-France

AU - Castillo Castillo , Arturo

AU - Courtene-Jones, Winnie

AU - Kadiyala, Suneetha

AU - Kumar, Eva

AU - Stoett, Peter

AU - Wang, Mengjiao

AU - Farrelly, Trisia

PY - 2025/3/6

Y1 - 2025/3/6

N2 - Agriculture and food systems are major sources of plastic pollution but they are also vulnerable to their diverse lifecycle impacts. However, this problem is not well-recognized in global policy and scientific discourse, agendas, and monitoring of food systems. The United Nations-led Global Plastics Treaty, which has been under negotiation since 2022, is a critical opportunity to address pollution across the entire plastics lifecycle for more sustainable and resilient food systems. Here, we offer aspirational indicators for future monitoring of food systems’ plastics related to (1) plastic polymers and chemicals, (2) land use, (3) trade and waste, and (4) environmental and human health. We call for interdisciplinary research collaborations to continue improving and harmonising the evidence base necessary to track and trace plastics and plastic chemicals in food systems. We also highlight the need for collaboration across disciplines and sectors to tackle this urgent challenge for biodiversity, climate change, food security and nutrition, health and human rights at a whole systems level.

AB - Agriculture and food systems are major sources of plastic pollution but they are also vulnerable to their diverse lifecycle impacts. However, this problem is not well-recognized in global policy and scientific discourse, agendas, and monitoring of food systems. The United Nations-led Global Plastics Treaty, which has been under negotiation since 2022, is a critical opportunity to address pollution across the entire plastics lifecycle for more sustainable and resilient food systems. Here, we offer aspirational indicators for future monitoring of food systems’ plastics related to (1) plastic polymers and chemicals, (2) land use, (3) trade and waste, and (4) environmental and human health. We call for interdisciplinary research collaborations to continue improving and harmonising the evidence base necessary to track and trace plastics and plastic chemicals in food systems. We also highlight the need for collaboration across disciplines and sectors to tackle this urgent challenge for biodiversity, climate change, food security and nutrition, health and human rights at a whole systems level.

U2 - 10.1038/s43247-025-02105-7

DO - 10.1038/s43247-025-02105-7

M3 - Article

VL - 6

JO - Communications Earth and Environment

JF - Communications Earth and Environment

SN - 2662-4435

ER -