INSIGHTS:
Understanding the Real Impact of Plastic Mulch

What Actually Remains in the Soil After Plastic Mulch

Plastic mulch disappears from the field after harvest.
But it does not disappear from the soil.

Conventional polyethylene mulch does not biodegrade.
It breaks apart.

• fragments created during removal

• pieces left behind during the season

• plastic dust formed through mechanical stress

• gradual accumulation after repeated sea

sons

Over time these fragments become microplastics.
They remain in the soil long after the mulch film is gone.

Across North America, growers are beginning to ask the same question:
What actually remains in the soil after years of plastic mulch?

Understanding the Real Impact of Plastic Mulch

Labor & Economics

The real cost isn’t the roll.

It’s removal, labor, transport, and landfill — every season.

Soil & Microplastics

Plastic doesn’t disappear.

It breaks into fragments that stay in the soil.

▶ Explore Soil Impact

Field Experience

What happens in real fields.

From installation to end-of-season — no theory, just results.

▶See Real Field Systems

Mis en avant

WHAT THE FAO SAYS ABOUT PLASTICS IN AGRICULTURAL SOIL

The FAO’s global assessment examines soil plastic accumulation, fragmentation into microplastics, and why Europe banned oxo-degradable plastics.

Can Microplastics Interact With Crop Roots?

Plastic in soil does not disappear — it fragments. This article explores how particle size changes biological relevance and why soil microplastics are now an emerging research field.

What Happens After Plastic “Breaks Apart” in Soil

When plastic mulch “breaks apart” in soil, it does not disappear. It fragments into smaller and smaller pieces that remain in the field as microplastics. True biodegradable materials work differently — they break down through biological activity into CO₂, water and biomass.

What Happens to Plastic Mulch After Harvest?

Most growers remove plastic mulch after harvest. But what really happens to the fragments left behind? The answer matters for soil health and long-term field performance.

Fragmentation vs Biodegradation

Plastic mulch does not simply “disappear.” It either fragments into persistent microplastics or biodegrades into natural elements. The difference is fundamental.

TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION >>>

INSTALLATION GUIDELINES