Forest Health & Plastics

Forest Health & Plastics [Forest HP]: Diversity and quantity of plastics in the forest – effects on the forest soil ecosystem

Part 2: Life cycle assessment of plastic inputs into forest ecosystems

Approximately one third of Germany is covered by forests, which means that forest soils have a significant impact on the water and material balance of the landscape. Compared to agricultural soils and settlement areas, they show fewer anthropogenic changes and are therefore natural habitats worthy of protection. However, the global input of plastics is also a significant factor for the forest ecosystem, which can impair the functions of forest soils. The main sources of plastic input are forestry, public use of forests as recreational areas, road and rail traffic and indirect input from agriculture. Exact quantities are unknown. Plastic components and additives penetrate the forest soil and change its chemical, physical and biological properties, with direct effects on the ecosystem. Even with an efficient plastic reduction strategy, contaminated sites remain in the forest ecosystem for decades, the effects of which are not yet fully understood. Findings from agriculture can hardly be transferred due to different land use. The project objective of Forest Health & Plastics (ForestHP) is fivefold:

1. Identification of plastic input types in representative forest areas.
2. Quantification of the input quantity.
3. Characterization of the effects on the forest soil and microbial accumulation.
4. Integration of the effects into a life cycle assessment.
5. Dissemination of the well-founded findings to forest owners and the public. Forest HP will create a scientific basis for measures to reduce the input of plastics into forest ecosystems.

In the course of the project, various target groups such as forestry, product manufacturers of growth covers and the general public will be involved, and an exchange with ministries will take place.