German researchers are seeking to eliminate plastics from agriculture and forestry amid evidence that microplastics are accumulating in soils and threatening ecosystem health. The project, PerPlacsBio, brings together leading universities and materials experts to assess where biodegradable products can replace plastics and provide farmers and foresters with clearer, science‑based guidance.
“Farmers and foresters face a pressing challenge: reducing microplastic pollution in soils whilst ensuring practical, effective alternatives,” according to the Nova-Institute, a German research organisation working alongside the University of Münster and the University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg.
PerPlacsBio builds on earlier research that identified 25 product categories in which biodegradation is environmentally meaningful because collection, sorting, or recycling is impractical. “Building on our BioSinn success, PerPlacsBio analyses biodegradable plastics’ potential, surveys user needs, and shapes real‑world solutions. Expect workshops, public results, and actionable insights for industry, policy, and practice,” it said.
Researchers say the gap between urgency and guidance is exactly what the project aims to close – examining performance, impact, and market readiness of biodegradable plastics across a wide range of applications, before determining where such materials can genuinely reduce pollution – and where conventional plastics remain necessary due to durability, cost, or regulatory constraints.
Nova-Institute will lead work on standards, certification schemes, regulatory frameworks, and market conditions, whilst the University of Münster and Rottenburg University will survey land managers to better understand user needs, perceptions, and barriers to adoption. From there, a series of workshops with industry, policymakers, and researchers will test assumptions, validate findings, and ensure that recommendations reflect real‑world conditions rather than theoretical potential.
To strengthen the evidence base, the PerPlacsBio team is seeking expert input on products that frequently enter soils or natural environments, including binding yarn, flocculant aids, plant clips and ties, controlled‑release fertilisers and pesticides, mulch films, seed coatings, bird‑ringing products, and tree shelters. Researchers are particularly interested in updated standards, new certification schemes, recent policy developments, and emerging biodegradable alternatives in Germany and the EU.
It comes as studies show that microplastics can act as “Trojan horses” for metals and other contaminants, transporting them through soil and water systems – a finding that has intensified scrutiny of plastic use in land‑based industries. For PerPlacsBio, the goal is not only to identify where biodegradable plastics can replace conventional materials, but also to ensure that any transition is grounded in science, practicality, and long‑term environmental benefit.
