| Abstract |
Plastic in agriculture is essential for farmers, growers and the agriculture production. The plastic allows a better production in quantity and quality, while using less input: water, pesticides, fertilizers, etc. Therefore, agri-plastics has an important contribution for an intensive ecological agriculture (agro-ecology). Then plastic reduce the environmental impact of the agriculture production. Every year, the world is using 6,1 MT of agri-plastics: greenhouses, small tunnels, mulching, silage, stretch films, irrigations pipes, nets and many more. Without plastics, 60% of the vegetable and animal production will be jeopardized. After use, if collected, agri-plastics are recycled and contribute then to the circular economy. By 2030, the world will consume 8 MT of plastic for horticulture to face the growing demand of the increasing population. Due to the contamination (sand, earth, water, organic matters) the used agri-plastic will represent the equivalent of 17 MT of waste to be managed. Too often, all over the world, plastics for agriculture are not properly managed: plastics left in the field, accumulation in the soil, wild storage, with dramatic damage for the environment and jeopardizing the production itself. The plasticulture community (users, industry, distributors, scientific community) must be concern about the end-of life of agri-plastic and therefore take individuals and collectives initiatives to ease sustainable solutions for users and the environment. |