Development of Next Generation of Biodegradable Mulch Nonwovens to Replace Plastic Films

摘要

Plastic mulches have been used on crops since the early 1960's for weed control, disease protection, and optimization of soil temperature but the cost of polyethylene (PE) mulch film is increasing (Lamont, 2005). PE cannot be tilled into the soil and must be removed by hand from the field, and disposal of PE mulch is an environmental problem. It is estimated that approximately 50% of plastics are burned (Levitan, 2005) on the farm (often illegally) which releases toxic pollutants such as heavy metals, dioxins and particles into the air (Lemieux, 1997). More and more landfills are refusing to accept plastic mulch.