Taking charge of the plastic problem

“Plastics have become ubiquitous since their widespread introduction in the 1950s. Their properties, functionality, and relatively low cost have made them the polymers of choice for the manufacture of an extensive range of products, including those used in food value chains.

Modern agriculture employs a wide range of plastic products to help improve productivity. These include mulch and silage films; tunnel and greenhouse films and nets; irrigation tubes and driplines; fruit and plant protectors; non-woven protective textiles; coatings on fertilisers, pesticides and seeds; and bags, bottles, nets, ropes, lines, traps and enclosures.

Plastic products also help reduce food losses and waste, and maintain food’s nutritional qualities throughout value chains, thereby