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Emerging Trends in Biodegradable Polymers Derived from Vegetable Waste for Sustainable Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities
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Researchers reviewed how agricultural plastic films and greenhouse coverings degrade into long-persisting soil microplastics that disrupt microbial communities and nutrient cycling, and evaluated biodegradable alternatives derived from vegetable waste as a green chemistry strategy to reduce plastic accumulation while supporting circular economy goals in farming systems.
The widespread use of plastic in farming has greatly increased crop yields and made better use of resources. However, it has also had bad effects on the environment. Plastic waste from farming, such as mulch films, greenhouse coverings, and irrigation parts, breaks down and breaks apart, which leads to the buildup of microplastics in the soil. These microplastics stay in the soil for a long time, changing its physical and chemical properties, affecting microbial communities, messing up nutrient cycling, and possibly getting into the food chain. To solve these problems, we need to switch to more sustainable materials. Biodegradable plastics have come up as a promising answer. These are materials that can break down into natural substances like carbon dioxide, water, and biomass through the action of microbes. They are put into groups based on where they come from (bio-based or fossil-based) and how easy they are to break down. There is a big difference between bioplastics and regular plastics made from petroleum in terms of feedstock, how they break down, and how they affect the environment. Global market trends show that more people want biodegradable materials. This is because people are becoming more aware of the environment, technology is getting better, and policies are being put in place to reduce plastic pollution. Also, using green chemistry ideas in the creation of sustainable materials leads to synthesis processes that are good for the environment. In polymer science, green synthesis methods focus on using renewable materials, making products with less harmful chemicals, and using less energy. In this case, vegetable waste is a useful renewable resource for making biopolymers. This helps with degradation and strategies for a circular economy. To reduce plastic pollution in agriculture and make sure that soil health is managed in a way that lasts, it is important to combine biodegradable materials, green chemistry methods, and rules.
More Papers Like This
Emerging Trends in Biodegradable Polymers Derived From Vegetable Waste for Sustainable Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities
AI summary Read the abstract
This review paper looks at how the plastic used in farming (like mulch films) breaks down over time and leaves behind tiny plastic bits in soil — bits that can mess with soil health and eventually make their way into our food. The researchers highlight biodegradable plastics made from vegetable scraps as a promising swap, since they break down naturally into harmless substances instead of lingering as microplastics, though making them affordable and reliable enough for widespread farm use is still a work in progress.
Agricultural plastics and environmental sustainability: Assessment and remediation strategies
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This review examines the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of agricultural plastics including mulch films, irrigation pipes, and greenhouse covers, and evaluates management strategies such as recycling, composting, biodegradable alternatives, and circular economy models for reducing microplastic accumulation.
Biodegradable Mulch for Vegetable Production. A Review
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This review examined biodegradable plastic mulches as alternatives to conventional polyethylene mulch films in vegetable production, summarizing yield benefits and degradation performance. Replacing conventional plastic mulch with truly biodegradable alternatives could reduce the large amounts of agricultural microplastics shed by mulch film fragmentation.
Effect of microplastics used in agronomic practices on agricultural soil properties and plant functions: Potential contribution to the circular economy of rural areas
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Researchers measured the effects of microplastics used in common agricultural practices — including mulch film residues and irrigation-delivered particles — on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Microplastic presence altered soil aggregation, water retention, and microbial community composition, with effects depending on plastic concentration, polymer type, and soil texture.
Advances in the Sustainable Use of Plastics in Horticulture—Perspectives, Innovations, Opportunities, and Limitations
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This review assesses the sustainability of plastic use in horticulture — including mulch films, crop covers, and polytunnels — and evaluates options to reduce, reuse, recycle, or replace them. It matters for microplastics because agricultural plastics left in fields fragment into microplastics that contaminate soil and crops, and the review identifies where biodegradable or alternative materials offer the most practical substitution.
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