Application of biodegradable plastic film to reduce plastic film residual pollution in Chinese agriculture

Plastic film has become an important agriculture production material in recent years. Over the past three decades, the
amount and application area of plastic film have increased steadily, and in 2014, which are 1.4 million tons and more than
180 million hm2 respectively. It plays a key role for ensuring the supply of agricultural goods in China. Meanwhile, plastic film
residual pollution becomes more and more serious, and in some regions, the amount of plastic film residues has reached over
250 kg/hm2. In part of the Northwest region, soil structure of farmland has been destroyed by plastic film residues and then crop
growth and farming operations were suppressed. It is recognized as a good choice to replace plastic film with biodegradable
plastic film, an effective measure to solve the plastic film residue pollution. Now, it is in a critical stage of study and assessment
of biodegradable plastic film in China and fortunately some biodegradable plastic films show effects in the production of potatoes,
peanuts and tobacco. Overall, a series of challenges has still been faced by the biodegradable plastic film, mainly including
improving the quality of biodegradable plastic products, such as tensile strength, flexibility, improving the controllability of
rupture and degradation, enhancing the ability of increasing soil temperature and preserving soil moisture, and to satisfy the
demand of crops production with mulching. In addition, it is essential to reduce the cost of the biodegradable film and promote the
application of biodegradable film on large-scale. With the development of biodegradable plastic technology and agricultural
production environment, the application of the biodegradable film will have a good future.