Plastic Additives for Agriculture
According to United Nations estimates, the world’s population will exceed nine billion people by 2050. The use of durable, reinforced and functional plastics in agriculture, often referred to as “plasticulture”, is a secure way of increasing output and enhancing crop quality in a challenging environment due to climate change.
Currently, more than 7,000,000 metric tons of film is produced every year for the plasticulture market, with an average annual growth rate of about 7%. Greenhouse covers, mulch films and silage films (stretch, bag, sheet) are the main applications, accounting for more than 75% of the total agricultural plastic market. Asia-Pacific covers 70% of the global demand, followed by Europe.
The wide range of plasticulture applications also include walking and small tunnel films, disinfection films, floating covers, in addition to drip irrigation pipes, nets (ventilation, shading), nonwoven fabrics, twines, clips and substrate bags.
The plasticulture market must continuously adapt to feed the planet
Agricultural plastics are strongly influenced by four main trends that are shaping the market and driving innovation which will consequently have an important effect on the choice of films and their stabilization systems.
Light and heat stability are key requirements for plastics in agricultural applications. Increased UV radiation and heat due to climate change may result in rapid and dramatic loss of physical, mechanical and optical properties of the polyethylene or ethylene copolymers that agricultural plastics are mostly made of. BASF’s wide range of light stabilizers protect agricultural plastics during their service life against photo and thermal oxidation.
The growing world population and continuous depletion of raw materials require more productivity with fewer resources available due to water scarcity and shrinking arable land due to climate change. Agricultural plastics play an important role in helping to enhance crop productivity and quality in such an environment.
Increasingly stringent regulations require the adoption of more responsible agricultural practices to protect crops against the occurrence and spread of diseases. New approaches, such as organic, biologic and ecologic production and integrated pest management (IPM), involve high levels of agrochemicals, including elemental sulfur (burnt, powder or wet table).
It is necessary to stabilize and to protect agricultural plastics against polymer degradation and interaction of contaminants with light stabilizers which must resist severe levels of agrochemicals. The same films must also be resistant to new practices regarding greenhouse structure, tools and soil disinfection which involve higher levels of chlorine.
A pack of prerequisites and challenges
Disposable and durable packaging carry a variety of requirements, ranging from ease of processing, economical efficiency to food contact compliance and stunning aesthetics.
| Benefit | Processing & thermal stabilizers | Light stabilizers | Clarifiers |
| Bottles PO | Irganox® B 215, B 225, B 561, 1010 Irgafos® 168 |
Tinuvin® 326 | Irgaclear® XT 386 |
| Bottles PET | Irganox® B 561 Irgafos® 126, 168 |
Tinuvin® 234 |
| Benefit | Processing & thermal stabilizers | Light stabilizers | Nucleators & antistatic agent |
| Caps | Irganox® B 215, B 561, 1010 Irgafos® 168 |
Tinuvin® 326 Chimassorb® 2020 |
Irgastab® NA 287 Irgaclear® XT 386 |
| Benefit | Processing & thermal stabilizers | Light stabilizers | Nucleators & antistatic agent |
| PP and PE | Irganox® B 215, B 900, 1010, 1076, E 201 Irgafos® 168 Irgastab® 301 Irgastab® XT 500 |
Chimassorb® 2020 Tinuvin® 326 |
Irgaclear® XT 386 Irgastab® NA 287
Irgastat® P |
| Benefit | Processing & thermal stabilizers | Light stabilizers | Nucleators & antistatic agent |
| PP and HDPE | Irganox® B 215, B 225, B 561, 1010 Irgafos® 168 |
Chimassorb® 2020 Tinuvin® 326 Uvinul® 4050 (PP-food) Tinuvin® 783 |
Irgastab® NA 287
Irgastat® P |
| Benefit | Processing & thermal stabilizers | Light stabilizers | Antistatic agent |
| FIBC - PP | Irganox® B 215 Irganox® B 225 |
Tinuvin® 791 Tinuvin® 783 Tinuvin® XT 55 Chimassorb® 2020 Uvinul® 4050 |
Irgastat® P |
| IBC - HDPE | Irganox® B 561 Irganox® B 215 |
Tinuvin® 783 Chimassorb® 2020 Tinuvin® 326 |
Irgastat® P |
| FFS - (L)LDPE | Irganox® B 215 Irganox® B 900 |
Tinuvin® 783 Chimassorb® 2020 Tinuvin® 326 |
Irgastat® P |
