Plasticulture is the practice of using plastic materials in agricultural applications. The plastic materials themselves are often and broadly referred to as "ag plastics". Plasticulture ag plastics include soil fumigation film, irrigation drip tape/tubing, plastic plant packaging cord, nursery pots and bales, but the term is most often used to describe all kinds of plastic plant/soil coverings. Such coverings range from plastic mulch film, row coverings, high and low tunnels (polytunnels), to plastic greenhouses.
Plastic used in agriculture was expected to include 6.7 million tons of plastic in 2019 or 2% of global plastic production.[1] Plastic used in agriculture is hard to recycle because of contamination by agricultural chemicals.[1] Moreover, plastic degradation into microplastics is damaging to soil health, microorganisms and beneficial organisms like earthworms.[1][2] Current science is not clear if there are negative impacts on food or once food grown in plasticulture is eaten by humans.[1] Because of these impacts, some governments, like the European Union under the Circular Economy Action Plan, are beginning to regulate its use and plastic waste produced on farms.
- ^ a b c d "Why food's plastic problem is bigger than we realise". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
- ^ Nex, Sally (2021). How to garden the low carbon way: the steps you can take to help combat climate change (First American ed.). New York. ISBN 978-0-7440-2928-4. OCLC 1241100709.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)