The EU officially recognizes biodegradable mulch, what is the market usage?

In October 2024, the European Union included certain soil biodegradable products in the Fertilizer Products Regulation (FPR) 1009/2019. These products include soil biodegradable mulching films, coating agents and water-retaining polymers, classified under the Component Materials category (CMC) 9 "Other Polymers". It is important to note that soil biodegradable mulches have been designated as soil amendments and are included in Product Function Category (PFC) 3.

From 20 November 2024, soil biodegradable mulching films will receive the CE mark, and from 17 October 2028, soil biodegradable coating agents and water-retaining polymers will receive the CE mark, meaning that they have been additional assessed to meet the high safety, health and environmental protection requirements of the European Union. Unlimited trading on the extended Single Market of the European Economic Area (EEA). The CE mark is a safety certification mark and a pass for products to enter the EU for sale.

1. 950,000 hectares of agricultural soil in Europe are contaminated with plastic residues

In Europe, more than 720,000 tonnes of agricultural plastics are used each year, of which only 24% are recycled. The main form of waste for this plastic is still landfills. It is estimated that about 34,000 tons of plastic materials are burned in the fields every year. Finally, about 950,000 hectares of agricultural soil are contaminated with plastic residues (see Figure 1).

Figure 1, End of life of agricultural plastic materials (Eunomia 2021).

Mulch, thread and clamps are the most complex agricultural plastic applications to collect and dispose of because of the large amount of soil and other green waste that is inextricably linked to these products at the end of their useful life in the field. In Europe, the plastic film used for crop production accounts for the second largest proportion, 83,000 tons/year. The mulch was covered with 166,000 tonnes of mud (see the first column on the left of Figure 2).

Figure 2 shows the soil content of agricultural plastics recycled annually in Europe (Eunomia, 2021).

2. What is the market situation of soil biodegradable mulch in Europe?

In agricultural and horticultural applications where soil is certified to be biodegradable, the most commonly used materials are polyhydroxyfatty acid esters (PHAs), polybutylene adipate/terephthalate (PBAT), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), and starch. Of the global bioplastics production capacity in 2022, about 8% of certified soil biodegradable materials will be used for agricultural and horticultural applications. That share is expected to reach 9 percent by 2027. The use of PHAs and PLA in these applications has increased, while other polymers have remained relatively stable.

In Europe, the production capacity of biodegradable materials grew from about 200,000 tons in 2011 to nearly 390,000 tons in 2022 and is expected to reach more than 610,000 tons by 2027.

In Germany, about 129 tons of certified soil biodegradable mulching film is used in agriculture each year (compared to about 1,691 tons of conventional mulching film). In other countries, certified soil biodegradable mulching films have become more common. For example, Spain uses 1,500 tons per year and Italy uses 2,000 tons per year.