- In October 2023, according to ABA, each year, Australian agriculture used 200,000 kilometres of plastic mulch film. Disposing of it posed a major issue, with an estimated 40,000 tonnes being stockpiled, buried, or burned annually due to limited recycling options. Conventional OXO-degradable plastics fractured into micro-plastics when left to degrade, causing long-lasting soil contamination and potential entry into the food chain
- In April 2024, European Commission urged a global ban on certain plastic products to combat pollution. They advocated for a comprehensive lifecycle approach to plastics, including bans and enhanced product design. Over 4,000 participants from various sectors met in Canada to negotiate a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution by 2024. The proposed treaty emphasized obligatory elimination and restrictions on problematic plastics to reduce environmental and health risks
- In October 2023, BioBag International AS. (BioBag World Australia) developed a soil biodegradable agricultural mulch film, easing disposal for growers without harming soil quality. Verified by the Australasian Bioplastics Association to meet ISO 23517: 2021, it became Australia's sole producer with this accreditation, offering an eco-friendly alternative, reducing disposal costs, and enhancing soil health
- In October 2022, according to the research published by ABC Publication, the American Chemical Society faced three main disadvantages regarding Polylactic Acid (PLA) biodegradable mulch film: low ductility, high cost compared to LDPE, and slow biodegradability in soil. With an elongation at break of around 5%, it was over twice as expensive as LDPE and degraded rapidly only in industrial composting conditions at 58°C
- In February 2020, according to the research paper published by ResearchGate GmbH, biodegradable mulch films, primarily made from Polylactic Acid (PLA), cost over 4000 USD per metric ton, significantly higher than conventional polymers, which range from 1000 to 1500 USD per metric ton. Consequently, biodegradable mulch films were found to be 1.5 to 1.8 times more expensive than traditional plastic mulches
