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Reducing the Plastic Footprint of Agriculture

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2023) | Viewed by 16967

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Pietro Picuno

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Guest Editor

School of Agricultural, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: agricultural, forest and biosystems engineering; environmental and ecological engineering; farm buildings and rural land; rural-built heritage; sustainable building materials; greenhouse technology; plastic and biodegradable materials for protected cultivation; rural landscape analysis and planning; integration of multi-temporal data into a GIS environment; agricultural biomass and plastic waste management and valorization
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Dr. Dina Statuto

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Co-Guest Editor

School of Agricultural, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: environmental engineering; geographic information system; spatial analysis; rural landscape; agroforestry land; environmental assessment; landscape planning; environmental management; renewable energy, agricultural biomass, circular economy; plastic film and nets for protected cultivation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Caterina Picuno

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Co-Guest Editor

Sustainable Resource and Waste Management, Hamburg University of Technology, 21073 Hamburg, Germany
Interests: plastic packaging; packaging management systems and recycling; solid waste management in southeast Asian countries

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Agriculture has benefited during the last few decades from several factors, which have led to a significant increase in its production efficiency. Among the most important of these factors, the increasing use of new materials—such as plastics—that enable more efficient, easier and cheaper productions has played a considerable role. Polymers are employed in agriculture in several possible applications, from irrigation (pipes, tubes) to silage, crates, ropes, containers of agro-chemicals, etc. Among the most efficient and fruitful applications, there is the use of plastic materials for soil mulching and/or crop protection in greenhouses, tunnels, etc., aimed at protecting cultivations while they are growing, providing protection from climatic factors, while at the same time increasing yield and/or extending the cropping season. According to the most recent data, the world consumption of plastics in agriculture amounts yearly up to 6.5 million tons. However, the use of plastics in agriculture generates serious environmental problems, such as those connected with the mismanagement of large amounts of post-consumer material, with possible release of macro-, micro- and nano-plastics in agricultural soil, surface and deep water, air, crops, etc., and a heavy impact on the sustainability of agricultural productions.

This Special Issue aims to collect a selection of papers addressing all inter-disciplinary issues that enable a holistic approach to: identify the main use of plastics in farming activities and their advantages or threats for the sustainability of agricultural production; explore opportunities to reduce the use of plastics while maintaining the economic and environmental performance of the farm; identify innovative alternatives to plastic use in agriculture; develop good farm practices to reduce, reuse and recycle the plastic used in agriculture; identify research needs from practice and propose possible directions for further research on plastic use reduction. Papers selected for this Special Issue are subject to a rigorous scientific peer-review procedure, aimed at a wide and effective dissemination of research outcomes. Covered topics would include, among others:

Impact of plastics on the agricultural environment;
Technical characteristics (mechanical, spectro-radiometrical, physical, etc.) of Agricultural Plastics (AP) and relevant design-for-recycling;
New plastic materials, including Biodegradable Bio-Plastics (BBPs);
Best practices for on-site management and collection and recycling AP waste;
Methods and tools for analysis, planning and management of AP waste flows using new advanced technologies (e.g., remote sensing, GIS techniques, etc.).

Prof. Dr. Pietro Picuno
Dr. Dina Statuto
Dr. Caterina Picuno
Guest Editors

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Keywords

agricultural plastics
crop protection
greenhouse covering
irrigation pipes
biodegradable bioplastics
plastic waste flows
GIS planning

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 7844 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Optimization of a Toothed-Plate Single-Roller Crushing Device for Waste Plastic Film

by Kai Guo, Hongguang Yang, Mingzhu Cao, Haiyang Shen, Xulei Chen, Fengwei Gu, Feng Wu and Zhichao Hu

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(21), 11650; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132111650 - 25 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1263

Abstract

Waste plastic film often contains an abundance of impurities, such as crop stems and soil. To address this issue, a toothed-plate single-roller crushing device for waste plastic film was developed. By analyzing the movement and force pattern of the film, the feeding speed, the number of toothed plates, and the crushing roller rotation speed were used as test factors, and the size qualification rate and the impurity content of the crushed film were used as test indexes. Through a Box–Behnken test design, regression analysis, and ANOVA, a model between factors and indexes was established. The results showed that the size qualification rate and the impurity content of the crushed film were 82.55% and 9.57%, and the errors in the prediction and test values were 6.14% and 8.38%, which proved them to have good reliability. The findings of this study provide essential technical and equipment support for the resource recovery of waste plastic films. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reducing the Plastic Footprint of Agriculture)

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16 pages, 4021 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Tests on Solvent Solutions for the Recycling of Coated Polypropylene in Food Packaging

by Roberto Mauro and Giacomo Scarascia-Mugnozza

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7116; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127116 - 14 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1304

Abstract

The aim of this research is to analyze and develop technical methods that allow the recycling of food packaging coated in polypropylene films using solvents for the removal of the lacquer and/or aluminum layer without modifying their mechanical properties. Thus, this would allow the regranulation and re-extraction of the treated material for the creation of new polypropylene films. Water solutions of KOH 1M and methanol 99.9% were tested as solvents using the selective dissolution method. In order to rule out a significant effect of the mechanical stirring action on the removal of the surface layer, a deionized water solution was used as a control sample. By means of UV-VIS-NIR (ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared), LWIR (long-wave infrared), and ATR-IR spectrophotometers, spectrophotometric analyses were carried out on the samples before and after treatment. In order to investigate the efficiency of the solvents in removing the coating of polypropylene films, samples taken from the industry Jindal Films Europe Brindisi s.r.l., named BF (basic film, pp film not lacquered or metallized), AC (aluminum-coated pp film), and ACRC (acrylic-lacquer-coated pp film), were compared with samples treated with solvent solutions. The comparison was made by comparing the spectra obtained from the analyses carried out with the two different spectrophotometers. The absorbance values at the level of characteristic polypropylene spectrum peaks, detected with an ATR-IR, were also compared using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The results suggest that the optimal solvent for removing the aluminum and acrylic lacquer from pp films is the solution of KOH 1M. Future analyses will aim to investigate the maintenance of the mechanical characteristics of polypropylene treated with a selective dissolution using KOH. It is also planned to test the methodology of this study on an industrial scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reducing the Plastic Footprint of Agriculture)

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17 pages, 3938 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Screen-Hole-Clearing Devices for Mechanized Residual Film–Impurity Separation

by Chenshuo Xie, Jianming Kang, Qiangji Peng, Xiaoyu Wang, Yingkai Chen, Chunyan Zhang and Ningning Zhang

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(22), 11658; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122211658 - 16 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1817

Abstract

The airflow velocity in some nozzles is low, and the clearing of the nozzle is ineffective because of unreasonable airflow pipe arrangements and the distance from the nozzle to the screen surface of screen-hole-clearing devices for trommel-sieve-type residual film–impurity wind separators. In the present study, the main structure and working parameters affecting the screen hole clogging situation were determined through theoretical analysis and computational fluid dynamics simulations. In addition, a three-factor, three-level quadratic regression orthogonal center of rotation combination test was performed. The distance from the nozzle to the screen surface, fan wind speed, and the number of airflow pipes were selected as test factors, and the ratio of impurities in the residual film and the blockage ratio of the screen holes were selected as the evaluation indexes. The results indicated that the ratio of impurities in the residual film was reduced by 2.42% and the blockage ratio of the screen holes was reduced by 1.92% at a nozzle-to-screen distance of 102 mm, a fan wind speed of 24 m/s, and with four air pipes. The resulting impurity ratio in the film was 5.86%, and the blockage ratio of screen pores was 5.41%. The minimum airflow velocity of 15.8 m/s at each nozzle position of the optimized screen-hole-clearing device satisfied the requirements of screen hole clearing and blockage. Furthermore, the ratio of impurities in the residual film and the blockage ratio of the screen holes remained unchanged during the continuous operation of the device. This indicated that the optimized screen-hole-clearing device had a stable working performance. This study may provide a theoretical framework for the future development of screen-hole--clearing devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reducing the Plastic Footprint of Agriculture)

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10 pages, 1407 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Agrochemical Contamination and Ageing Effects on Greenhouse Plastic Film for Recycling

by Pietro Picuno, Zoe Godosi and Caterina Picuno

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(19), 10149; https://doi.org/10.3390/app121910149 - 9 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2107

Abstract

Plastic films used for crop protection have reached notable consumption all over Europe, as well as in the rest of the world. This phenomenon however poses a serious environmental problem connected with the impact on the sustainability of agricultural production and relevant plastic footprint. Mechanical recycling of agricultural plastics is a common technique, but limited by many factors, as the loss of mechanical properties of plastic film. This phenomenon, due to its ageing after being exposed to natural weather conditions, plays a crucial role, especially when aggravated by contamination with agrochemicals ordinarily used for crop health and pest management. This article reports the result of some laboratory tests on agricultural plastic film, artificially aged for different periods and contaminated with two different agrochemicals (anti-aphid or fungicide). These results show that the impact of agrochemicals on plastic film is considerable, since it worsens the ageing process of the plastic film, conducting a more rapid reduction in its mechanical properties—mostly, a faster reduction in the elongation at break below 50% of the corresponding value of the virgin plastic film. This phenomenon, other than reducing the working life of the plastic film, gives it a low potential for being transformed into a closed-loop recycled material when entering the recycling stage. The increase in the value of the detected Carbonyl Index (CI) confirms the tendency of the material to degrade rapidly when in contact with agrochemicals, hence indicating that it may be impossible to mechanically recycle it. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reducing the Plastic Footprint of Agriculture)

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17 pages, 2659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Implementing a GIS-Based Digital Atlas of Agricultural Plastics to Reduce Their Environmental Footprint: Part II, an Inductive Approach

by Giuseppe Cillis, Dina Statuto, Evelia Schettini, Giuliano Vox and Pietro Picuno

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(15), 7545; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12157545 - 27 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2300

Abstract

Plastic pollution, largely perceived by the public as a major risk factor that strongly impacts sea life and preservation, has an even higher negative impact on terrestrial ecosystems. Indeed, quantitative data about plastic contamination on agricultural soils are progressively emerging in alarming ways. One of the main contributors to this pollution involves the mismanagement of agricultural plastic waste (APW), i.e., the residues from plastic material used to improve the productivity of agricultural crops, such as greenhouse covers, mulching films, irrigation pipes, etc. Wrong management of agricultural plastics during and after their working lives may pollute the agricultural soil and aquifers by releasing macro-, micro-, and nanoplastics, which could also enter into the human food chain. In this study, we aimed to develop a methodology for the spatial quantification of agricultural plastics to achieve sustainable post-consumer management. Through an inductive approach, based on statistical data from the agricultural census of the administrative areas of the Italian provinces, an agricultural plastic coefficient (APC) was proposed, implemented, and spatialized in a GIS environment, to produce a database of APW for each type of crop. The proposed methodology can be exported to other countries. It represents valuable support that could realize, in integration with other tools, an atlas of agricultural plastics, which may be a starting point to plan strategies and actions targeted to the reduction of the plastic footprint of agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reducing the Plastic Footprint of Agriculture)

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15 pages, 2539 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Shape, Orientation and Aging of a Plastic Greenhouse Cover on the Degradation Rate of the Optical Properties in Arid Climates

by Ibrahim Al-Helal, Pietro Picuno, Abdullah A. Alsadon, Abdullah Ibrahim, Mohamed Shady and Ahmed M. Abdel-Ghany

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 2709; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12052709 - 5 Mar 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2111

Abstract

In arid climates, the optical properties of plastic-covered greenhouses deteriorate very quickly. To examine the effect of greenhouse shape and orientation on the degradation rate of cover optical properties, four greenhouse prototypes were constructed in two shapes (duo-pitched roof and tunnel), covered with a 200 µm thick low-density polyethylene film. Two types were oriented in the North–South direction, the other two in the East–West direction, and all were exposed for one year to an arid climate. Samples were taken from the different surfaces of each cover for testing. The total transmittance (T_s) and reflectance (R_s) of the samples were measured and averaged to obtain the whole cover properties (T and R). Measurements were carried out periodically every 30 days for the four prototypes. The degradation behavior of the optical properties of each cover surface (T_s, R_s) and the whole cover (T, R) was investigated for the four film covers during the exposure time. Results show that the degradation rate of T_s depends on the surface location and the cover orientation. Among the different surfaces of the four prototype covers, the maximum difference in the T_s value between the E and N surfaces for the tunnel cover oriented in the N–S direction was 15.5%. Although the variation of the T_s value among the different cover surfaces was found, the time dependences of the whole cover transmittance (T) for the four covers tested were almost similar. Accordingly, the shape and orientation of the small size greenhouses did not significantly affect the degradation rate of the cover optical properties. In the four covers tested, the reduction in the global solar radiation transmittance (T) was 27–31% after one-year exposure compared to the new film. Nonlinear correlation was developed to predict the degradation rate of the cover transmittance as a function of the accumulated solar irradiance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reducing the Plastic Footprint of Agriculture)

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14 pages, 4497 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Implementing a GIS-Based Digital Atlas of Agricultural Plastics to Reduce Their Environmental Footprint; Part I: A Deductive Approach

by Giuseppe Cillis, Dina Statuto, Evelia Schettini, Giuliano Vox and Pietro Picuno

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1330; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031330 - 26 Jan 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4701

Abstract

The agricultural sector has benefitted over the last century from several factors that have led to an exponential increase in its productive efficiency. The increasing use of new materials, such as plastics, has been one of the most important factors, as they have allowed for increased production in a simpler and more economical way. Various polymer types are used in different phases of the agricultural production cycle, but when their use is incorrectly managed, it can lead to different environmental impacts. In this study, an applied and simplified methodology to manage agricultural plastics monitoring and planning is proposed. The techniques used are based on quantification through the use of different datasets (orthophotos and satellite images) of the areas covered by plastics used for crop protection. The study area chosen is a part of the Ionian Coast of Southern Italy, which includes the most important municipalities of the Basilicata Region for fruit and vegetable production. The use of geographical techniques and observation methodologies, developed in an open-source GIS environment, enabled accurate location of about 2000 hectares of agricultural land covered by plastics, as well as identification of the areas most susceptible to the accumulation of plastic waste. The techniques and the model implemented, due to its simplicity of use and reliability, can be applied by different local authorities in order to realize an Atlas of agricultural plastics, which would be applied for continuous monitoring, thereby enabling the upscaling of future social and ecological impact assessments, identification of new policy impacts, market searches, etc. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reducing the Plastic Footprint of Agriculture)

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