Biodegradable Plastics in Agriculture, AGROTEC

<< It true that the use of Plastic in Agriculture has been increasing worldwide for the last decades. Due to the multiple and necessary uses in the agriculture sector, environmental concerns are also one of the main assets associated with Plasticulture. The search for biodegradable solutions is an increasing priority.

(…) The use of oxo-degradable polyethylene with fragmentation in small pieces does not solve the environmental problem. The solution is the use of vegetable raw materials (like corn starch and vegetable oils) to produce certified biodegradable and composting polymers. In that sense, the project Agrobiofilm was developed in the scope of the 7th Framework Programme of the EU and helped to find answers to that problem. This project started in April 2010 and is based on a consortium formed by a main core composed of three small and medium companies: Silvex, Indústria de Plásticos e Papéis (project coordinator in Portugal), BIOBAG (Norway) and ICSE (France).

Agrobiofilm® is an example of Circular Economy applied to agriculture. Made from corn starch and vegetable oils, this bioplastic is incorporated in the soil without harming the environment, benefiting several crops. (…)
Its raw material is MATER-BI®, a group of biodegradable and compostable biopolymers made by the Italian company Novamont, European leader in this business sector. The innovation of Silvex, based in Benavente, consisted in creating a film adapted to several crops according with their requirements. (…) After several field testes, performed in Ribatejo, France and Spain, Silvex initiated the sales of Agrobiofilm in 2014, estimating a total of 400 hectares installed in Portugal and about 200 hectares in the United Kingdom, Norway, Austria, France and Spain in 2017. (…) Biodegradable films are already representing more than 10% of Silvex’s turnover and are a growing sector. Other than Agrobiofilm®, the company manufactures cling film and all kinds of biodegradable and compostable bags and packages (certified as “OK biodegradable Soil”, “OK Compost” or “OK Compost Home”) for domestic, agriculture and industrial use. Silvex is operating in the market for more than half a century and innovation is the main reason why the company maintains its competitive spirit and the will to make the lives of its customers easier.>>

In REVISTA AGROTEC

For a more detailed article, click here (only in Portuguese).