Biodegradable Nonwoven Agrotextile and Films—A Review

Abstract

As society becomes more aware of environmental pollution, global warming, and environmental disasters, people are increasingly turning to sustainable materials and products. This includes agrotextiles in a wide range of products, including nonwoven agrotextiles for mulching. This review provides insight into relevant available data and information on the condition, possibilities, and trends of nonwoven mulches from natural fibres, biopolymers, and recycled sources. The basic definitions and differences between biodegradation and composting processes are explained, and the current standards related to biodegradation are presented. In addition, an insight into the biodegradation of various nonwoven mulches and films, including their advantages and disadvantages, is provided, to predict the future directions of nonwoven mulches development.

Innovative approach of biodegradable mulches in sustainable agriculture for crop production and environmental conservation

“…Due to their potential cost-effectiveness, biodegradable mulch products are becoming more and more valuable. The major conditions for mulch to be deemed biodegradable in the case of organic agriculture are that it is entirely made of bio-based materials and that it is at least 90% biodegradable by soil microorganisms in the field during a 2-year period [11,32]. Biodegradable mulch is typically turned to carbon dioxide, water, and natural compounds by microbial activity in the soil.…”

Plastic Mulch Films in Agriculture: Their Use, Environmental Problems, Recycling and Alternatives

“…The potential labor savings from its use are crucial in farmers' assessments of the economic sustainability of switching from PE mulch to biodegradable plastic mulch because biodegradable plastic mulch is more expensive than PE mulch [64]. Biodegradable polymers are not commonly used because of their poor performance and increased costs relative to traditional plastic mulch [191].…”

Effect of Biodegradable Nonwoven Mulches from Natural and Renewable Sources on Lettuce Cultivation

“…The viscose mulches offer good sorption properties and relatively fast biodegradation, but PLA mulches degrade more slowly [20]. For instance, nonwoven jute mulches degrade rapidly during 6-8 months of exposure, whereas hemp-based nonwoven mulches can decompose within 1-3 months [20]. Extended research revealed that hemp and jute mulches degraded within a similar timeframe of around 8 to 10 months, while viscose mulches degraded within 6 to 8 months.…”

“…According to the available literature on fiber biodegradation, natural fibers like jute and hemp exhibit faster degradation rates compared to fibers such as viscose and PLA. The viscose mulches offer good sorption properties and relatively fast biodegradation, but PLA mulches degrade more slowly [20]. For instance, nonwoven jute mulches degrade rapidly during 6-8 months of exposure, whereas hemp-based nonwoven mulches can decompose within 1-3 months [20].…”