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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.
Due to agricultural plastic waste, the use of plastic films, irrigation pipes, greenhouse covers, and packaging materials in farming has become a significant environmental and socioeconomic problem worldwide. Crop health and biodiversity are negatively impacted by the disassembly and storage of such plastics, which also creates microplastics and pollutes water. The sources and varieties of agricultural plastics, their impacts on the environment and the economy, and the current methods of managing them—such as recycling, composting, and the use of biodegradable substitutes—are all methodically examined in this review. Additionally, new solutions, including the models of the circular economy, technologies of plastic to fuel, and smart tracking systems are touched upon. Problems, shortcomings, and gaps in the research are also brought to the fore to offer a holistic approach to sustainable management strategies. The paper highlights how combined policies, technologies and farmer education are required to reduce plastic pollution and enhance environmental friendly farming.
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Towards a Sustainable Future: Advancing an Integrated Approach for the Recycling and Valorization of Agricultural Plastics
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This review surveys current methods for recycling and valorizing agricultural plastics—films, mulches, and greenhouse covers—highlighting that inadequate end-of-life management leads to soil and water contamination and eventual microplastic formation. A more integrated, circular approach to agricultural plastic design and disposal is needed to prevent these materials from fragmenting into persistent environmental pollutants.
Plastic Use in Agriculture: Balancing Benefits, Environmental Impacts, and Sustainable Solutions
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This review examines the benefits and environmental risks of plasticulture, covering how plastic mulches, greenhouse covers, and irrigation systems boost yields while generating microplastic soil contamination, and proposing sustainable alternatives and policy frameworks.
Microplastics in Agriculture- a Review
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This review examines the growing presence of microplastics in agricultural environments, covering their sources from plastic mulch films and irrigation water, their effects on soil health and crop quality, and the implications for food safety and sustainable agriculture.
Plastic mulching in agriculture: agronomic performance, residual film hazards, and green development strategies
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This review summarizes 247 existing studies on plastic mulch films used in farming, covering their benefits for crop growth, pollution from leftover film pieces and microplastics in soil, and recycling challenges. It suggests future work focus on improving film recovery methods and developing biodegradable alternatives.
Environmental health implications of plastic use in agriculture
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This review discusses the environmental health implications of plastic use in agriculture, including soil microplastic accumulation from mulch films, microplastic uptake by crops, and potential entry into the food chain. The authors recommend shifting toward biodegradable alternatives and tightening regulations on agricultural plastic disposal.
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