Environmental charity Fidra is calling for decisive UK Government action following the release of a Defra-commissioned report that recommends slashing the use of treated sewage sludge on farmland as a key strategy to reduce microplastic pollution.
The report, Option Appraisal for Intentionally Added Microplastics (Defra, 2025), identifies the recycling of sewage sludge (biosolids) to agricultural land as the single largest route for intentionally added microplastics to enter the environment in the UK. These microplastics—used in products ranging from cleaning agents to pharmaceuticals—are largely captured during wastewater treatment and become concentrated in sludge. When this sludge is used as fertiliser, it delivers microplastics directly into soils.
Defra’s report recommends two major options to reduce this pathway: cutting sludge-to-land application by 50% to 95% by 2030. These measures are highlighted as cost-effective, with additional benefits such as reducing exposure to other unregulated contaminants like PFAS and pharmaceutical residues.
Fidra has welcomed the recognition of sewage sludge as a major pollution route and is urging the UK Government to translate the report’s findings into strong policy action. The charity notes that despite growing awareness of microplastic risks, the UK lacks comprehensive regulation on the use of biosolids in agriculture and on intentionally added microplastics overall.
Fidra stresses the precautionary principle, highlighting that microplastics persist in soil, move through ecosystems, and have been detected in wildlife, food, water, and even human organs. Microplastics can also carry harmful chemicals on their surfaces, increasing environmental and health risks.
Fidra is calling on the UK Government to:
- Implement regulatory limits on intentionally added microplastics;
- Reduce or eliminate sewage sludge use on agricultural land;
- Ensure that microplastic pollution is addressed alongside chemical contaminants like PFAS;
- Align with or exceed existing EU REACH measures.
Fidra is seeking clarity on next steps in the UK Government’s Safe and Sustainable Sludge Use in Agriculture Strategy, and on how Defra and the Environment Agency will act on the findings.
The organisation continues to advocate for a future where soils, ecosystems, and public health are safeguarded from the long-term risks of microplastic contamination.