Agricultural Test Sites

Plastic pollution in the agricultural sector presents a multifaceted challenge, primarily stemming from the widespread use of plastic materials such as greenhouse foils and mulch films. These plastics, employed extensively for crop production, offer benefits like increased yields and reduced water usage but also pose significant environmental risks. 

Once these films degrade or are improperly disposed of, they fragment into microplastics, contaminating soil and water, and harming both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, the persistent presence of plastic residues in agricultural soils can disrupt soil health and microbial communities, impacting long-term agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Within INSPIRE we have developed prototype formulations of biodegradable mulch films and greenhouse films, based on PHA, thus offering a bio-based and bio-degradable alternative to conventional films. This zero-waste alternative will be tested and implemented in:

• Austria, through collaboration with the agricultural community “Cambium ∙ Leben in Gemeinschaft” in the region of Styria. 
• Greece, through a pool of former cooperations in other EU projects, in order to assess their behaviour in Mediterranean conditions.

During testing phase, relevant parameters and feedback will be collected (application, appearance, durability, end of life, etc) is order to select and further refine the most promising formulations, and assess the replicability of these bio-based products.