Plastic waste is a major hazard to the environment due to the contamination marks it leaves on the environment. Plastic is any synthetic or semisynthetic organic polymer, which is often non biodegradable and can pollute air, water and soil. 

In soil pollution, the adversity of plastic is especially seen in agriculture where plastic materials like agricultural films are used.

When added and left to soil, the materials breakdown into microplastics due to exposure to different environmental factors. Currently, the rate of  decomposition of microplastics is unknown and it is assumed that they are persistent and accumulate ( Rilig, 2012) in the ecosystems.

Microplastics affect soil microorganisms such as earthworms which further causes changes in aeration.

The microplastics also alter soil properties such as water holding capacity and bulk density which further affect crop yield, often negatively, for example, residual plastic in soil destroys the soil structure and changes the normal transportation and distribution of water and nutrient. (Yuanqiao, Li et al.) This reduces the crop yield and subsequently reduces food available for consumption and causes food insecurity in a region.

References

Yuanqiao L, Caixia Z, Changrong Y, Lili M, Qi L, Zhen L, Wenqing H. 

Effects of agricultural plastic film residues on transportation and distribution of water and nitrate in soil. Chemosphere. 2020 Mar;242:125131. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125131. Epub 2019 Oct 16. PMID: 31654807.

Rillig MC. 2012. Microplastic in terrestrial ecosystems and the soil? Environmental Science & Technology 46: 6453– 6454.