Linking the type and origin of the solid wastes in ricefields: Implications in waste management

Abstract

The solid wastes are ubiquitous in terrestrial environment with marked abundance in human dominated systems. However, the solid wastes in rice fields have been less emphasized than the urban setting. Exploring solid wastes of rice fields provide an opportunity to highlight how unmanaged wastes can threaten biodiversity and agricultural productivity. The results of the present study will enable tracing the root cause for the solid wastes in the rice fields. A systematic sampling of the paddy rice cultivation fields revealed the presence of eight types of solid wastes with the dominance of the various forms of plastic material. These solid wastes could be linked with nine different sources of origin, with the dominance of the packaged food industry. A significant (P < 0.05) difference in the solid waste types and the sources could be portrayed through the bipartite network analysis. This approach provides a robust framework for tracing the origin of waste and targeting key sources for intervention. Information obtained through the present study will prove helpful in understanding the infiltration and establishment of the plastics and allied polymers in rice fields interfere with the structure and functions of the community assemblages. The plastic waste types and its multiple links provided evidence for the origin and possible entry into the rice field system. Information obtained through the present study will prove helpful in understanding the entry of the solid wastes in the ricefields and the respective management to sustain the environment and the productivity.