Microplastics and ecosystem services: persistence, disruption mechanisms, and mitigation strategies

Plastic pollution, driven by agricultural practices, industrial discharge, and urban runoff, poses a significant threat to soil ecosystems. Microplastics (MPs), plastic particles < 5 mm, disrupt key soil properties, including bulk density, aggregate stability, water retention, and microbial activity. MPs alter enzyme functions, microbial diversity, and soil fauna, such as earthworms, thereby affecting nutrient cycling and plant-microbe interactions. Here, we review the impacts of MPs on soil ecosystems and discuss sustainable mitigation strategies, including microbial and enzymatic biodegradation, biodegradable plastics, and improved waste management. Legislative frameworks, such as India’s Plastic Waste Management Rules and the UN Global Plastics Treaty, aim to reduce plastic waste through extended producer responsibility, waste-to-energy solutions, and circular economy approaches. An interdisciplinary approach is essential to effectively mitigate the enduring ecological risks posed by microplastics.