Plastic supports growth

Back to farming without plastic

Longing for the countryside. The view of the field makes you tired and worried. We're about to go out again. The soil is tilled with mechanical machines from the last century and physical labour. Water is channelled to the plants via shovelled channels and metal pipes. Pests and weeds have to be laboriously removed by hand and using home remedies. This Sisyphean labour is impossible to beat.

Once the grain, vegetables and fruit have finally been harvested, they are packed in wooden crates and jute sacks and stored. The mown straw has to go into the hayloft as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, some things perish in the process. Some foodstuffs are damaged by coarse machinery, others spoil in the mould-prone containers. This is bad for people and the environment. Losses require energy and drive up the CO₂ balance. If the weather goes crazy, crop failures and famines are imminent.

Better supply for the world's population

The "Green Revolution" began in the mid-1960s and changed the way food is grown and harvested around the world. Higher-yielding varieties, pesticides, targeted irrigation and mechanical support increased productivity and provided greater security. With the new methods, malnutrition and infant mortality rates fell, living standards rose and the population grew.

Science played a central role in the emergence of modern agriculture. Plastics paved the way as a versatile and inexpensive all-purpose material. Film tunnels, mulch films, irrigation hoses and pipes, water tanks, nets, nonwovens and silage are ubiquitous today. They secure yields and protect against frost, heat and pests. Inexpensive plastic solutions make agriculture easier to plan. At the same time, they reduce the consumption of water, fertilisers and pesticides.

Variety and ease

Greenhouses and irrigation systems extend the vegetation period of many plants and enable cultivation even in dry and cold regions of the world. Thanks to technological assistance, the use of water and fertilisers can be controlled. In addition to hoses and pipes, this requires electronics - and these are based on plastics. This also applies to modern, often GPS-controlled agricultural machinery. They save labour and increase efficiency. More and more agricultural processes are being automated and digitalised. In the future, smart farming will optimise sowing, care, harvesting and logistics based on data.

Rubber conveyor belts that are gentle on the crops help with sorting. Light, stable and stackable reusable packaging such as crates, tubs and canisters simplify transport. Plastics are also easy to clean. This improves hygiene and protects against germs, bacteria and mould. This keeps food edible for longer and reduces waste. The preservative function of plastic containers also pays off when storing seeds and animal feed. The effect of plastic packaging is particularly strong: it protects the products, facilitates transport, extends shelf life and thus reduces food waste on a large scale. After all, every food product that is thrown away has to be produced from scratch - with CO₂ consumption from the field to the plate.

Pollutants and the circular economy

Plastics make food affordable, reduce the ecological footprint and conserve valuable resources. However, their careless and incorrect use also causes problems - and these are sometimes massive. Plastic waste contaminates soil, forests and water. Some of it is contaminated with harmful substances and can end up in the food chain. In many cases, the solutions are already available: Today, there are better materials that are easy to recycle. At the same time, the circular economy must be promoted. Used plastics should be collected and recycled. What nevertheless remains in nature must be completely biodegradable.

Change of perspective: external expertise

Where are plastic solutions for modern agriculture currently irreplaceable?

Everything can be replaced - it's just a question of cost and efficiency. Plastics are irreplaceable in modern and intensive agriculture. Climate change is bringing hotter and drier summer periods. Plastic mulch films are indispensable for the cultivation of many crops. Alternative methods for silage would require additional logistical effort. Plastics are also very useful in the packaging sector. Many products are sometimes stored outdoors so that expensive warehouses do not have to be built. Plastic packaging protects against wind, weather and moisture. Plastics are not a problem per se. Rather, it is the careless handling of them.

What properties make plastics the preferred choice for the cultivation, harvesting and logistics of food products?

They have a very good moisture and gas barrier. For example, black plastic films with UV protection are particularly efficient at stopping evaporation. Plastics are also very affordable, lightweight and flexible. They are therefore easy to use. If they are not damaged, they can be reused very often. We use plastics because they are a great material. The long service life of the material is often an advantage, but it can also be harmful. Especially if the plastic is not collected again.

Plastics pollute and harm the environment. How can this be prevented?

We are working intensively with microplastics. We can't get rid of them. They remain in the soil or migrate into the groundwater. However, microplastics are not all equally dangerous to humans. Additives such as plasticisers and colours are often problematic. Regulations are already taking effect here, while at the same time research is being carried out into more environmentally friendly chemicals. In addition to better plastics without harmful additives, biodegradable plastics and, of course, collection and recycling for a longer material cycle are important approaches. When it comes to environmental pollution, it's all about individual consumer behaviour. The single-use deposit acts as an additional motivator here.

Where the material is in contact with nature for a long time, it can make sense to use biodegradable plastics. However, this is a question of cost and agriculture is under enormous price pressure. There is room for manoeuvre with pesticides. Primary microplastics are often used as carriers here. There are good reasons for this: Pesticide input can be specifically controlled and reduced in this way. So far, the topic has been excluded from EU regulations. If biodegradable plastics were prescribed as carriers, this would be an important step.