Circular Use of Plastics in Agriculture and Horticulture

The Circular Use of Plastics in Agriculture and Horticulture project aims to effectively close the loop for plastic products used in agri- and horticulture to lower the use of fossil carbon and prevent plastic contamination of soil or natural waters. The project will develop methods and products for applications within both greenhouses and open fields. Within these two cultivation environments, three end-of-life scenarios of plastics will be explored, being mechanical recycling, industrial composting and programmed biodegradation in soil.

Biodegradable propagation products and grass-turf netting

Within all EOL-environment combinations, specific cases will be studied that have the aim to either optimize the current circular use of plastic for these applications or develop entirely new products with improved EOL characteristics. In doing so, 1 newly implemented agricultural plastic recycling loop (e.g. for horticultural pots), 2 optimized recycling processes (aspargus film and EPS trays), 2 new industrial compostable products (grow bag foil and floriculture netting) and 2 new products (propagation products and grass-turf netting) with programmed biodegradable characteristics in soil will be developed. The results of these case studies will be used as input data for a roadmap for circular plastic use in agriculture that can be used by policy officers, plastic supply chain industries, farmers and growers.