Towards to zero plastic soil management agricultural practices

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

World consumption of plastics in agriculture, mainly low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyethylene (PE), amounts to 6.5 million tonnes per year. At the European level, 3.3% of plastics are used for agricultural applications (0.3 million tonnes). The main agriculture applications are mulching (427 059 ha), greenhouses (111 550 ha), polytunnels (68 991 ha), and direct covers (61 800 ha). In the mulching technique, cultivated soil is mechanically covered with plastic films of small thickness (20-50 m), which protect young plants, and contribute to increased yield and quality, weed and soil erosion control, and the efficient use of water and pesticides. The two European countries with largest mulching areas are Spain (120 039 ha) and France (100 000 ha).

Due to their low cost, good workability and high resistance, plastics have helped farmers to increase crop production in the EU. However, the extended use of plastic is also causing important environmental impacts, such as the generation of large volumes of waste that is very difficult to recycle, and the potential contamination of soils, air and water. Recently, bioplastic alternatives have been increasingly used for mulching purposes. These present a clear advantage in terms of sustainability, but have disadvantages in terms of performance. Bioplastics degrade faster and by the end of the crop cycle the material is no longer effective, while bioplastics fragment into small particles that remain in the environment and make their recovery more difficult. In 2017, SMURFIT KAPPA started looking for alternatives to plastic for mulching, based on a new type of paper with very promising results at R&D level.

OBJECTIVES

The main objective of the LIFE AGROPAPER project is to demonstrate and validate a novel soil management practice for agriculture mulching using specific tailor-made water-resistant papers. These will be demonstrated in different types of crop, climate and cultivation, through the use of different natural inks, coatings and treatments. The purpose is to encourage the substitution of large-surface-film plastic mulching with innovative agricultural paper.

LIFE AGROPAPER is fully aligned with the new strategies to create a more sustainable Europe, reflected in the Circular Economy Action Plan. However, it is worth noting that currently there is no specific EU legislation that focuses on the management of agricultural plastic recovery and recycling. For this reason, the project includes one specific action to present the results to policymakers and promote the inclusion of sustainable alternatives to plastic in the legislation.

RESULTS

Expected results:

A new sustainable and 100% compostable eco-labelled agricultural paper (AGROPAPER) to be applied for mulching;

AGROPAPER validated over two campaigns in 18 field demonstrations with five different crops (tomato, pepper, lettuce, corn and artichoke) in four different climatic areas, covering one hectare;

More than 1 000 soil and plant samples analysed to ensure the validation process;

Increase of 5% in the productivity of the crops due to the use of AGROPAPER;

Reduction of 75% in the time required for the mulching activity;

100% elimination of non-degradable plastic film in soil. During the project, the generation of 415.4 tonnes of plastic will be avoided;

80% reduction of the carbon footprint, from 600 to 120 kgCO2eq/ha; and

Increase in edaphic fertility (soil fertility, productivity and sustainability).