(566b) Agricultural Plastic Waste: Analysis of Their Use, Quantification, and Management

Plastics are extensively used in agricultural activities, as they are used to transport feed and fertilizers, reduce development time for seed and fruit, cover crops, mitigate the growth of weeds, increase yields, increase water-use efficiency, retain moisture, wrap silage, and extend the lifetime and quality of fruit and produce. However, no adequate recycling infrastructure or market are in place for agricultural plastic waste (APW) which suffer from high contamination rates and degradation due to extended sunlight, pesticides, and soil exposure. Worse, APW release microplastics in the soil, and these microplastics contaminate our food and water.

In this study we set out to quantify the amount of plastic waste generated in New York State, identify its main constituents, and analyze management practices, with the aim to improve upon the current situation. Specifically, we quantify APW by collecting data through surveys and interviews with farmers, counties, and recycling companies, and by developing a prediction model of APW generation using a multiple regression analysis with the type of farm, revenue, and farm size as independent variables, and the quantity of APW generated as dependent variable. Drawing information from surveys and interviews, we identify challenges associated with management practices and recycling of APW.

Acknowledgements: The authors thank New York’s Environmental Protection Fund, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), for financial support.