Farming uses a staggering amount of plastic, and much of it ends up shredded into the soil. That's why agriculture is one of the most natural homes for genuinely biodegradable polymers: here, breaking down in the field is a feature, not a compromise.
Plastic mulch film, laid over soil to warm it, retain moisture, and suppress weeds, is one of agriculture's biggest plastic uses. Conventional polyethylene mulch is nearly impossible to fully remove after harvest, so fragments accumulate in farmland year after year, building up as soil microplastic. A film designed to biodegrade in the soil itself sidesteps that entirely: it's tilled in and broken down by soil microbes.
Soil-health concern and microplastic regulation. As awareness grows of plastic accumulation in agricultural soils, and its potential to enter the food chain, pressure mounts to replace persistent ag-plastics. Dedicated standards for soil-biodegradable mulch films exist precisely because this is a distinct, fast-developing category. See standards →
"Soil-biodegradable" must mean degradation under actual field conditionsthe right temperature, moisture, and microbial life, and within a useful timeframe, leaving no harmful residue. Not every "biodegradable" film meets a soil standard (many are certified only for industrial composting, which is a different thing). And these films cost more than polyethylene. The genuine value case rests on avoided soil contamination and removal labour, not on a simple price comparison.
PBATstarch blendsand PHA do most of the work here.
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