Taking charge of the plastic problem

While the use of plastics has helped farmers to produce more with less, the material presents an enormous environmental issue. This report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations looks at alternatives that can be introduced by farmers and governments to reduce reliance on plastics in agricultural production and thereby cut down on pollution.

Plastics have become ubiquitous since their widespread introduction in the 1950s. Their properties, functionality, and relatively low cost have made them the polymers of choice for the manufacture of an extensive range of products, including those used in food value chains.

Modern agriculture employs a wide range of plastic products to help improve productivity. These include mulch and silage films; tunnel and greenhouse films and nets; irrigation tubes and driplines; fruit and plant protectors; non-woven protective textiles; coatings on fertilisers, pesticides and seeds; and bags, bottles, nets, ropes, lines, traps and enclosures.

Plastic products also help reduce food losses and waste, and maintain food’s nutritional qualities throughout value chains, thereby improving food security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Hygienic plastic packaging improves food safety by reducing contamination and premature decay.

Despite these benefits, plastics can also be problematic, causing pollution in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.

There are two main routes whereby plastic contaminants enter agricultural systems, namely leakage from non-agricultural sources such as windblown litter, or leakage from agricultural activities when agricultural plastic products are discarded or become damaged or degraded.