Beating plastic pollution in our food systems: FAO’s global action for World Environment Day 2025

You don’t have to look far to see how plastic has worked its way into every corner of the agrifood system. Seedling trays, mulch films, irrigation tubing, shipping crates, cling wrap. And that’s before it even hits the shelves. It’s efficient, cheap, and convenient, helping to protect crops and reduce food losses – but it lingers. More than 12.5 million tonnes are used each year in agriculture alone, and another 37 million tonnes in food packaging. Very little of it gets recycled.

Plastic waste doesn’t disappear. It breaks down, over years, into particles too small to see. FAO’s research confirms that even tiny amounts of plastics can affect water retention, microbial activity, and plant growth. It also finds evidence that microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals can be absorbed by crops, potentially reaching edible parts. These findings – due to be published later in 2025 – reinforce the need for immediate action to reduce plastic inputs in agriculture and protect the health of soils, crops, and consumers.

World Environment Day 2025 offers a chance to take stock. The Food and Agriculture Organization is helping governments, farmers, and industries cut down on plastic waste – through smarter use, better alternatives, and practical changes on the ground that bring better production, better nutrition, a better environment and better lives and don't compromise the bottom line for farmers.

As part of the response, FAO's Provisional Voluntary Code of Conduct built through consultations with governments, scientists, producers, and private companies can guide the sustainable use of plastics in agriculture. It offers clear, actionable advice: reduce where possible, reuse when practical, recycle when safe. It points toward a gradual transition away from short-lived plastics, without putting food security or farmers' incomes at risk.

One promising frontier is the shift toward bio-based and biodegradable materials – drawn from agricultural residues, organic matter, and natural polymers. FAO supports innovation through bioeconomy to help farmers replace conventional plastics with options that break down safely and support soil health.

Consider the banana sector. Plastic bags, twine, and wraps have long been standard in large plantations. FAO’s World Banana Forum has been working with producers and researchers to change that. By sharing practical guidance and exploring alternatives, farmers are beginning to cut down on plastic use and reduce the waste leaking into surrounding environments.

Plastic leaves a lasting trace and can damage soil health even in tiny fragments. © FAO/ Cristina Aldehuela

Then there’s the issue of pesticide containers. Too often, these are burned or tossed into fields, releasing toxic residue into the soil and air. FAO is piloting safer disposal methods – like the triple-rinse technique – and helping countries establish collection and recycling systems.

Together with the International Atomic Energy Agency, FAO is leading research on microplastic detection in soil. They’re using advanced isotopic techniques and working to develop standardized testing methods, so countries can measure the problem and respond effectively.

Concerns don’t end with the soil. Microplastics have been found in water, salt, fish, and even some vegetables. FAO has conducted scientific reviews on how these particles move through agrifood systems, and what they might mean for human health. Research is ongoing, especially around the effects on the gut microbiome, but efforts are already underway to improve testing and keep consumers informed.

National programs are starting to shift practices in real time. In Sri Lanka, FAO’s CIRCULAR project, funded by the European Union, is helping reduce single-use packaging and improve retail design. In Kenya and Uruguay, FAO is helping develop greener policies through the FARM programme. The programme combines technical support, farmer outreach, and policy reform to shrink the plastic footprint of agriculture.

The Global Soil Partnership, hosted by FAO, includes the Global Soil Doctors programme – farmer-to-farmer training focused on practical tools to manage soil pollution. Knowledge moves across borders, one field at a time.

Plastic pollution doesn’t stop at the shoreline. Fishing gear – lost, abandoned, or discarded – chokes marine ecosystems and threatens coastal economies. FAO has issued guidelines on marking fishing gear to make it traceable and recoverable. Through the GloLitter Partnerships, implemented by IMO in collaboration with FAO, 30 countries are improving waste management in ports, testing cleaner vessel technologies, and tracking sources of marine litter.

FAO’s approach is comprehensive. It spans guidelines, field pilots, scientific research, and national policy. Reducing plastic in agrifood systems isn’t a single solution – it’s a process of rethinking how we grow, move, and consume food in ways that protect people, soils, and oceans alike. Step by step, FAO is working to help countries move toward more sustainable and resilient agrifood systems – ones that don’t rely on plastics to hold them together.