Plastic rapidly became one of the most widely used materials in the past decades. Due to its recalcitrance, it persists in the environment for many years and endangers many ecosystems. Previous research revealed that inhabitants relevant for all ecosystems - the microorganisms - are severely affected by plastic waste. Most researchers have focused on plastic waste floating in the oceans so far and have described a newly emerging anthropogenic ecosystem called the plastisphere, which is characterized by attracting and supporting the growth of a microbiome distinct from the surrounding environment. While soils were shown to be equally polluted with plastic as the oceans, research on the ecological consequences for soil ecosystems is lagging behind. Some researchers have studied the impacts of plastics in agricultural soils, but permanently cold environments were so far neglected, although plastic pollution was documented even in remote high-alpine and Arctic regions. These environments are globally significant and cover large parts of the planet.