August 2019 Effects of Plastics in Agriculture in the Jordan Valley: Utility, Impact, and Alternative Approaches Effects of Plastics in Agriculture in the Jordan Valley: Utility, Impact, and Alternative Approaches 19 August 2019 Effects of Agricultural Plastic in the Jordan Valley US EPA Disclaimer: This publication was developed under Assistance Agreement No. 83617201 awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to its grantee, Battelle, and Battelle’s sub-grant to EcoPeace. It has not been formally reviewed by US EPA. The views expressed in this document are solely those of Battelle and US EPA does not endorse any products or commercial services mentioned in this publication. Battelle Disclaimer: This report is a work prepared for the United States Government by Battelle and its cooperative agreement partners. In no event shall either the United States Government or Battelle have any responsibility or liability for any consequences of any use, misuse, inability to use, or reliance on any product, information, designs, or other data contained herein, nor does either warrant or otherwise represent in any way the utility, safety, accuracy, adequacy, efficacy, or applicability of the contents hereof. i Effects of Agricultural Plastic in the Jordan Valley Table of Contents 1. Introduction........................................................................................................................... 3 1.1. Definition of Plastic Mulch Film ........................................................................................ 3 1.2. The Life Cycle of Plastic Mulch ........................................................................................ 3 1.3. Utilization of Plastic Mulch Film in Agriculture in Jordan .................................................. 8 2. Assessment of the Impacts of Plastic Mulch Film Use ...................................................... 9 2.1. Environmental Impacts .................................................................................................... 9 2.2. Economic Impacts ......................................................................................................... 13 2.3. Health and Social Impacts ............................................................................................. 15 3. Biodegradable Alternatives to Plastic Mulch .................................................................... 18 3.1. Alternatives to Plastic Mulch Film .................................................................................. 18 4. Best Practices in the Use of Plastic Mulch and Biodegradable Alternatives ................. 21 4.1 Best Practices in the Use of Plastic Mulch ..................................................................... 21 4.2 Best Practices in the Application of Biodegradable Alternatives .................................... 23 5. Practical Considerations in Selecting Alternative Approaches in Jordan ...................... 23 6. Environmental Justice Considerations ............................................................................. 25 7. References .......................................................................................................................... 26 ii Effects of Agricultural Plastic in the Jordan Valley Acronyms BDM ............................................................................................................ Biodegradable mulch EPA ......................................................................................... Environmental Protection Agency JOD ..................................................................................................................... Jordanian dinar PAE .............................................................................................................Phthalate acid esters PE ............................................................................................................................ Polyethylene WUE ............................................................................................................. Water use efficiency iii Effects of Agricultural Plastic in the Jordan Valley Executive Summary The use of plastic mulch film in agricultural practices in the Jordan Valley provides numerous benefits when properly managed, however, improper use and disposal can lead to myriad unintended negative environmental, social, and economic impacts. Plastic use for agriculture began to proliferate Jordan in the early 1960s as a way to increase water use efficiency (WUE). Today, plastic mulch provides an opportunity for Jordanian farmers to increase crop production through the regulation of inconsistent growing climates due to extreme temperatures and inconsistent rainfall, particularly in arid regions. Plastic mulch increases soil temperature, keeps soil moist, and controls growth of weeds, contributing to an increase in usable farmland and water conservation efforts, higher crop yields, and potential for increased income-generation. However, if not maintained and removed from the field(s) properly, degraded plastic, known as mulch residue, can infiltrate the soil or contaminate the surrounding environment. Mulch residue may impact soil structure, moisture retention, and microbial biomass, leading to decreased crop yields in the longer-term. For example, to increase efficiency, some farmers in Jordan use the same plastic mulch to grow two rounds of crops in one growing season; however, oftentimes, the mulch begins to lose its plasticity, break apart and degrade after the second use. Lingering plastic residue from practices like double-cropping may impact moisture and nutrient transport by physically blocking absorption of water and nutrients. Mulch residue could change soil properties in ways that impact the effectiveness of fertilizer or pesticides on crops and may result in leaching into groundwater supplies, negatively impacting human health. Another threat to human health is the potential for phthalates or other cancer-causing compounds to leach into the soil and groundwater, which could be absorbed by crops and enter the food supply. Additionally, deteriorated plastic may contaminate adjacent land or waterways like the Jordan River or Dead Sea, posing additional environmental and economic risks. Because the Jordan River is used extensively for irrigation, water containing microplastics may be used to irrigate fields and microscopic pieces of plastic could be returned to the fields and potentially enter the food supply. Additionally, in the Jordan Valley, many farmers rely on livestock, such as sheep or goats, as an additional source of income. Plastic residue can be easily ingested by livestock grazing in areas close to mulched fields, which can become impacted in the rumens (stomachs) and possibly cause death. Another challenge presented by the use of plastic mulch film is awareness and access to proper disposal options. While recycling is the preferred method of disposal for plastic mulch, if this option is not available, landfilling is a better choice than incineration, open burning or illegal dumping. Currently, plastic mulch is typically burned on the farm site, illegally dumped, or left on fields to disintegrate. Open burning on-site releases a variety of harmful pollutants (e.g., hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide, furans, heavy metals, nitrous oxide, methane, and others) into the air and across the farmland, which can be detrimental to humans, livestock and other wildlife. Leaving the plastic mulch to degrade into the field or illegal dumping through burying or disposing of plastic mulch into waterways contributes to plastic pollution of the surrounding environment in the Jordan Valley. Complicating factors for proper disposal include the current solid waste management and recycling infrastructure and capacity in country. Additional challenges to recycling of plastic mulch in Jordan include soil/dirt/vegetative contamination of the plastic mulch, disintegration of plastic after multiple growing cycles, and lack of interest in use of recovered plastic mulch in a degraded condition. 1 Effects of Agricultural Plastic in the Jordan Valley Currently, it is not feasible or practical to collect, clean, transport, market and utilize recovered plastic mulch in the manufacture of new products in the Jordan Valley. However, environmentally preferable alternatives to plastic mulch film should be considered, including biodegradable mulch (BDM) that is designed to be tilled into soil after use, as well as cornstarch or paper-based alternatives which naturally break down over time. Other organic options include compost, flax-wool, and chopped leaf litter. Such environmentally friendly alternatives not only reduce the burden of collection and disposal at the end of the growing season but may also offer cost-savings in some instances and are generally safer for human health and the environment. For BDM alternatives to be considered for adoption in Jordan, there must be additional steps taken to prove the performance and economic feasibility. While there currently is no local manufacturer of BDM in Jordan, there has been expressed interest by current manufacturers of plastic mulch to explore the possibility of producing BDM. Additionally, there has been expressed interest by the farming community to participate in pilot testing to compare the performance of BDM over plastic mulch due to the benefits to human health and the environment. Alternatively, should BDM not prove to be a viable option for consideration, another