ASSESSING AGRICULTURAL PLASTIC WASTE THROUGH SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT SCENARIOS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/env.v1i1.2573Keywords:
Agricultural plastic waste, Sustainable waste management, Environmental engineering, Plastic waste intensity, Management scenariosAbstract
Agricultural plastics play a vital role in improving agricultural productivity; however, their increasing use has resulted in significant environmental challenges associated with plastic waste generation and disposal. This study aimed to assess agricultural plastic waste across major agricultural production systems and evaluate the effectiveness of alternative sustainable management scenarios using a quantitative secondary dataset. The dataset comprised eight agricultural production systems and included cultivated area, plastic waste intensity, annual plastic waste generation, covering-film waste, and four management scenarios. Descriptive statistics, percentage contribution analysis, comparative scenario evaluation, and scenario ranking were performed to quantify waste generation patterns and compare management performance. The results indicated that orchards and vineyards were the dominant contributors to agricultural plastic waste, together accounting for the majority of total annual waste generation. Plastic waste intensity varied considerably among production systems, with greenhouse cultivation exhibiting the highest intensity. Comparative analysis demonstrated that the combined management scenario achieved the greatest reduction in annual agricultural plastic waste, followed closely by the first management scenario, while the second scenario showed only minimal improvement over the existing management condition. These findings highlight the importance of integrated waste management approaches for reducing agricultural plastic waste and improving resource efficiency. The study provides quantitative evidence to support environmental engineering decision-making and emphasizes the need for targeted, crop-specific waste management strategies to advance sustainable agriculture and circular economy practices.
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