Effects of plastics in the food system on human health, food security, and the environment: a systematic scoping review

BackgroundDue to their characteristics, plastics are ubiquitous across global food systems, which is contributing environmental pollution. Circular economy policies should account for the myriad effects of interdependent environmental, human health, and security economic domains. However, available evidence disparate, researchers policymakers do not share a common strategy addressing this planetary health problem. We aimed synthesise data from diverse research landscape facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration.MethodsIn systematic scoping review, we searched nine databases 15 grey literature sources, studies published year 2000 onwards (up January, 2019). sought identify quantifiable on major plastic types used in all processes agricultural production waste management (so-called farm flush); presenting outcomes (direct or intermediate, beneficial harmful) relation security, household economics, environment. Findings were presented an gap map. A full study protocol was registered with Campbell Collaboration.Findings3362 included our review Between 2019, 4-times increase occurred, China, India, USA accounting 1175 (34·9%) studies, low-income settings just 54 (1·6%) studies. Plastics processing, storage transportation well researched (1869 [55·6%] 1117 [33·2%] respectively), considerably less use retail, consumption, disposal subsectors. Food most frequently captured (2546 [75·7%] studies), (1602 [47·7%] studies) environment (282 [8·4%] substantially research. Agricultural drive productivity efficiencies commonly (1730 [51·5%] as packaging nutritional quality, longevity, safety foodstuffs (1090 [32·4%] studies). Little regarding on-farm pollution contamination (34 [1·0%] system (39 [2·4%] Just eight meta-analyses (0·2% captured, exploring mulching row covers.InterpretationThe base domains imbalanced. This highlights key gaps fill before circular can truly benefits harms different domains.FundingCo-funded by UK Aid Government, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, via Innovative Methods Metrics Agriculture Nutrition Actions programme.