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BIOMALEG project : first promising results for biodegradable mulching films
AUTHORS : Marion YVIN Research engineer, University of Bretagne-Sud, Institut de Recherche Du-puy de Lôme (IRDL), UMR CNRS 6027 & Mikaël KEDZIERSKI, Associate Professor & Stéphane BRUZAUD, University Professor
For two years, the University of Brittany-Sud, IRDL, and INRAE have been conducting studies on the biodegradation of bio-based mulching materials. This is the BIOMALEG project, whose leaders present to Plasticulture the first significant results, such as the absence of soil contamination by residues from conventional films. These findings reinforce the “Zero plastic in the field” goal.
Mulching films, widely used in market gardening since the 1960s, are designed to cover the soil of a crop to ensure yields, save water, and control weeds.
More recently, biodegradable mulching films have been developed as an alternative to polyethylene (PE) films. At the end of the crop cycle, biodegradable films are directly buried with plant residues in the field, possibly after shredding. The 2018 NF EN 17033 standard, which tightly regulates the use of such films, specifies that after two years in the soil, at least 90% of the material must be biodegradable, with no negative impact on soil life. After several consecutive cycles of mulching/burial, some accumulation may occur.
Questions are raised by producers/users who are attentive to maintaining the quality of their soils: What happens to biodegradable mulching films in the soil? How long does the (bio)degradation process last under real conditions?
The BIOMALEG project aims to answer these questions by assessing the level of biodegradation of mulching films over time, as well as the associated impacts. This project, funded by ADEME (APR GRAINE) for three years, started in 2021. It involves IRDL, the project leader, the Bretagne-Sud Experimental Station (SEBS) in Auray, and the Genosol platform of INRAE.
These field studies, conducted under traditional agricultural usage conditions, will complement the data from the NF EN 17033 standard. Thus, at the end of the project, the sector will have access to a comprehensive view of the end-of-life of these plastic mulches. Recommendations and usage improvements will be provided and used to expand the use of biodegradable films in the context of sustainable agriculture.
Study site and experimental devices
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