What was it all about?

This project investigated how best to deal with plastic waste from vegetable farms. The research team conducted a literature review and engaged with the industry, growers, plastic providers and plastic processors to: 

• Determine the key sources, management, volume and cost of on-farm plastic by state and growing region
• Identify different plastic processing opportunities, together with financial costs and benefits and the logistics of each option
• Assess the feasibility of available and emerging processing opportunities for on-farm plastic waste.

Researchers found that all producers have to manage on-farm plastics to some extent.

The work focussed on the following products: 

• Irrigation pipe
• Plastic mulch sheeting
• Polytunnels and protective housing
• Trays e.g. seedlings, bed trays
• Chemical containers.

The researchers concluded that:

• The quantity of plastic used in the agricultural sector is a small component (4 per cent) of overall national plastic consumption
  
  
• Use of plastic varies with the type of crop produced and therefore by region
  
  
• There are six types of plastic to be considered, each with particular characteristics including varying lifespans
  
  
• The main plastics considered a problem to growers are plastic mulch and drip line irrigation, which are annual use plastics that occur in large volumes where they are used
  
  
• It is illegal to burn or bury plastic waste although landfill is an option for some growers
  
  
• The cost-effectiveness of recycling is determined by how close producers are to plastic processing facilities or ports, and other factors such as the international plastic prices
  
  
• There are also technological barriers to recycling some key plastics, particularly plastic mulch, although a number of technological advancements may improve the situation
  
  
• The development of a photodegradable plastic mulch product has practical limitations as well as questions about its performance, and requires further development
  
  
• A lack of understanding by processors about on-farm plastic, and by growers about plastics collectors operating in their area, is another barrier, but the recently developed FARM MUSTER program may help.