Title: Classification and Research and Development Application Status of Biodegradable Mulch Film Source: Journal of Agricultural Environmental Sciences, 2024, 43(6): 1278-1287. Authors: Zhang Mingming, Zhou Yingxin, Chen Jingwen, Xu Jun, Xu Jing, Sun Chitao, Weng Yunxuan, Tan Zhijian, Xu Lei, Mi Qinghua*, Guo Baohua* Note: This article is an excerpt published in June 2024, and the related data may be outdated. 1. Production situation of biodegradable films Currently, China is the largest producer, seller, and user of biodegradable films in the world. In the first half of 2023, China had more than ten thousand tons of biodegradable film production and sales, with seven companies producing over one thousand tons. These companies are Shanghai Hongrui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shandong Jinan Xin San Plastic Industry Co., Ltd., Henan Yinfeng Plastic Co., Ltd., Qingdao Haiyi Plastic Co., Ltd., Gansu Lanzhou Xinyin Huan Rubber and Plastic Products Co., Ltd., Yunnan Kedi Plastic Co., Ltd., and Jinan Tianyi Plastic Co., Ltd. The company with the highest production and sales is Shanghai Hongrui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and the province with the highest production and sales is Shandong Province. After 2024,Shandong Blue Ocean Crystal Technology Co., Ltd.A newcomer in the agricultural film industry, the company has received orders exceeding 10 million yuan for agricultural film in the first half of 2025. The main raw material PBAT for biodegradable film is priced at 12,000 to 13,500 yuan per ton, while the special blow film material is priced at 15,000 to 18,000 yuan per ton. The factory price for different specifications of film ranges from 21,000 to 25,000 yuan per ton, and the market retail price ranges from 24,100 to 26,800 yuan per ton. Based on the above factory prices and retail prices, the cost of using the film for farmers is shown in the table below. Currently, the production capacity of hemp mulch made from plant fibers in China exceeds 50,000 tons. Its derivative seedling film has shown significant promotional effects in the cultivation of rice and rapeseed seedlings, with low investment and high output. However, in recent years, the rising prices of hemp fiber raw materials have led to increased production costs, which in turn limits its application in mulch. Paper mulch and other plant fiber mulches are mostly still in the research and development or initial promotion stages. The main factors restricting their application include high production costs, poor resistance to wind and rain, and high water vapor permeability. 2. Application of biodegradable film Biodegradable plastic film has been widely tested and demonstrated in the country. According to the research team from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on the "Current Status and Characteristics of Research and Application of Degradable Plastic Film," In the first half of 2023, the demonstration and promotion area of biodegradable film has exceeded 100,000 hectares. The main crops demonstrated include potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro, corn, rice, peanuts, sunflowers, cotton, vegetables (cucumbers, bitter gourds, loofahs, tomatoes, eggplants, garlic, peppers, green beans, kidney beans, radishes, cabbages, asparagus, etc.), tobacco, melons, pineapples, and others. The region with the largest demonstration application area is Inner Mongolia. Biodegradable plastic film generally increases yield compared to PE plastic film in the application of medium- and short-growth-cycle crops. The use of black biodegradable plastic film on crops like rice has shown significant effects in terms of weed control and yield increase. It has also shown notable yield improvements in underground tuber crops. Research by Cheng Wanli et al. indicates that, compared to PE film, the use of biodegradable plastic film in the Hexi irrigation area increased potato yield by 13.64%. He Pengcheng et al. compared the effects of different biodegradable films on potato yield, and the results showed that the yield increase with biodegradable plastic film compared to PE film could reach 15.76%. 3. Existing Problems Biodegradable mulch films have made significant contributions to ensuring the safe supply of agricultural products in China and protecting the ecological environment. However, in the process of practical promotion and application, biodegradable mulch films still face a series of challenges and issues. (1) Insufficient research on adaptive matching. The performance of biodegradable mulching film is influenced by various factors, including material composition and application environmental conditions. Different regions, crops, and seasons have varying functional requirements for mulching films, such as moisture retention, temperature maintenance, breathability, weed suppression, and pest repellent. Currently, there is a lack of crop-specific biodegradable mulching films that precisely match performance and functionality. (2) The low-cost modification and performance regulation technology needs to be improved. Compared to traditional polyethylene (PE) film, the cost of biodegradable film is about twice as high, and its moisture retention, thermal insulation, and weather resistance properties still need enhancement. There is an urgent need to develop high-performance, low-cost biodegradable materials and modification technologies. (3) The technical standards for the entire chain are urgently needed to be improved. Although China has established product standards for fully biodegradable agricultural ground cover films, the comprehensive technical standard system that covers the entire chain—from the production, sales, and use of biodegradable films to degradation monitoring and residue treatment—is still in need of improvement. At the same time, there is a lack of product and application technology standards for biodegradable films that are specific to certain regions and crops. (4) The awareness of scientific applications is not high. The application of biodegradable film not only addresses the issue of film pollution at the source but also reduces the costs associated with film recovery. However, the awareness and acceptance of the scientific application technology of biodegradable film among the majority of farmers still need to be improved. There is a need to further strengthen the training, publicity, and promotion of biodegradable film application technology. (5) Supporting policies, regulations, and management measures are still not sound. At the national level, relevant policies and regulations have been established to encourage and support the research, production, and use of biodegradable plastic films, but local supporting regulations and policies are not yet sound, including ecological subsidies, tax incentives, and other incentive mechanisms, as well as strict quality control of biodegradable plastic films and supervision systems for non-standard films. 4. Countermeasures and Suggestions The promotion and use of biodegradable film in our country has received full recognition from society and has achieved important phased results. However, it is necessary to further improve policies, regulations, and systems, as well as the demonstration and promotion system. We should increase innovation and demonstration support, enhance promotion training and publicity efforts, expand the pilot scope based on the existing pilot provinces and cities, and take the following relevant measures: (1) Improve policies, regulations, and management measures. It is recommended that relevant departments enhance support policies for biodegradable film, strengthen market supervision of non-standard films, and regulate the main raw materials, relative biodegradation rates, thickness, tensile properties, light transmittance, ecological toxicity tests, and field usage of biodegradable films; establish management measures and work mechanisms for regular inspections of product production, field applications, and soil health; prohibit the use and promotion of photodegradable films; strengthen the precise matching of scientific usage funding for plastic films with local crop needs; implement management measures such as a production license or access system for biodegradable film, a factory sales usage ledger system, and a government promotion subsidy tendering system; ensure traceability of products through coding; standardize the use of national financial project funds, enhance the timeliness and supervision of fund allocation, and avoid additional costs and price differences due to delays in fund disbursement. (2) Strengthen the investment in the production capacity of new biodegradable film. In response to the issues of mismatched coverage needs of biodegradable film products with crops, seasons, and regional characteristics, optimize resource allocation, enhance research and development of specialized materials for biodegradable film, low-cost modification, and processing innovation technologies. Conduct supporting research on the scientific application of biodegradable film in different regions, for different crops, and in different seasons, continuously extending the innovation chain and improving the industrial chain; establish a scientific and effective monitoring and evaluation system for the application of biodegradable film, and strengthen the scientific application of evaluation results; enhance the investment from governments at all levels and enterprises in the research and development and application demonstration of biodegradable film technology. In pilot projects for the scientific application of film, support research on film functions and agronomic machinery matching, regional application technologies, etc., at a certain percentage of the funding; guide enterprises to independently invest in related technology research and development and application demonstration work, forming new productive forces brought by the application of biodegradable film technology. (3) Establish a full-chain technical standard and application regulations. Improve national standards for special materials for biodegradable film, product industry standards, and local application standards. Encourage and guide enterprises to formulate product enterprise standards in the production of film, establish a product traceability system, and standardize the preparation of product usage manuals. In the packaging and storage phase, develop corresponding requirements based on the performance characteristics of different biodegradable films. In the field application phase, establish application guidance manuals and technical regulations for film usage in different regions and for different crops, to guide the scientific and standardized application of biodegradable films. (4) Strengthen popular science and publicity efforts. Multiple departments should work together to utilize radio, television, and new media to enhance the promotion of the significance and technology of biodegradable film applications; agricultural technology promotion departments at all levels and research and production units should collaborate to develop training lesson plans and promotional materials for the scientific use of film, actively conducting training and experience exchange activities for planting enterprises, cooperatives, large-scale farmers, and agricultural technicians on the application of biodegradable film, to improve the awareness and acceptance of relevant personnel regarding biodegradable film.

Zhejiang Yuyao's total subsidy reaches 200 yuan per mu; Inner Mongolia Chifeng City's Ningcheng County subsidy reaches 170 yuan per mu; Shandong Guanquan County subsidy is 168 yuan per mu; Guizhou Province Yuqing County subsidy is 90 yuan per mu. Biodegradable film, as a key material to tackle the "white pollution" in farmland and promote green agricultural development, has always been guided and supported by policies and funding in its research, production, and application. In recent years, China has established a policy system that integrates national coordination and local implementation, with supporting funds forming a complete chain of support from scientific research breakthroughs to application promotion, laying a solid foundation for the large-scale application of biodegradable film. 1. National Policy System: From Legal Protection to Standard Norms At the national level, a comprehensive policy framework is established through laws and regulations as well as special plans, which not only clarifies the development direction but also standardizes market order, providing institutional guarantees for the development of biodegradable films. In terms of laws and regulations, support policies are gradually deepening. In 2016, the "Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan" first proposed to "research and formulate standards for biodegradable agricultural films," paving the way for the standardization of biodegradable film. In 2018, the "Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China" clearly established the legal status of "the state encourages and supports the use of biodegradable agricultural films" in legal form. In 2020, the "Management Measures for Agricultural Film" further regulated the market, clearly stating that "the production, sale, and use of agricultural films that do not meet mandatory standards are prohibited, and the production and use of fully biodegradable agricultural films are encouraged and supported." It also requires the establishment of a production and sales ledger and a traceability system. In 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, in conjunction with the State Administration for Market Regulation and three other departments, issued a notice on "Further Strengthening the Regulatory Enforcement of Agricultural Film," deploying the investigation and handling of illegal activities related to non-standard agricultural film, in order to block the entry of inferior products into farmland from the source. In addition, the central government's "No. 1 Document" in 2021 and 2022 repeatedly proposed "strengthening the research and promotion of biodegradable agricultural film" and "increasing the promotion of fully biodegradable plastic film," incorporating it into key agricultural work. In terms of standard specifications, the country imposes dual standards to regulate product quality. The current national standard "Fully Biodegradable Agricultural Ground Cover Film" (GB/T 35795-2017) clearly defines core indicators such as thickness, tensile properties, and biodegradation rate (which must completely degrade into CO₂, H₂O, and mineral inorganic salts under specific conditions); at the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs promotes the establishment of application technical regulations for different crops and regions, providing a basis for scientific use. 2. National funding support: from scientific research breakthroughs to application demonstrations The country provides support for the technological innovation and application promotion of biodegradable film through special research funding, demonstration project funding, and other means. In the field of scientific research tackling key challenges, the National Key R&D Program provides targeted support for breakthroughs in core technologies. The "14th Five-Year Plan" National Key R&D Program project "Creation and Industrialization of Fully Biodegradable Mulching Materials and Products" (2021YFD1700700) focuses on key technologies such as low-cost modification of core materials like PBAT and PLA, and regulation of degradation cycles. It promotes collaborative efforts among industry, academia, and research institutions, and has helped develop specialized mulching film formulations suitable for different crops such as potatoes and corn. In the application demonstration field, the central government promotes large-scale verification through special pilot projects. In 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Finance launched a pilot program for the scientific use and recovery of plastic film, aiming to promote 5 million acres of fully biodegradable film in key film usage areas. Starting from 2021, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has established 19 evaluation and application bases for fully biodegradable plastic film in 12 provinces (autonomous regions) including Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu, conducting field trials to verify the adaptability of different regions and crops. Data on degradation rates, soil impact, and crop yield increases are recorded through field trials to provide "replicable and promotable" practical experiences for promotion in different regions. 3. Financial subsidies: Central support and local enhancements The funding subsidy for biodegradable film adopts a model of "central fixed base, local supplementation," reducing the cost for farmers. The central government has established a basic subsidy for farmland using fully biodegradable film, with a standard of 60 yuan per mu, covering key aspects such as film procurement and application. On this basis, local governments can add additional subsidies according to actual needs (ranging from 30 to 120 yuan per mu), forming a combined support of "central + local." For example, the total subsidy in Yuyao, Zhejiang reaches 200 yuan per mu; in Ningcheng County, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, the subsidy reaches 170 yuan per mu; in Guanqu County, Shandong, the subsidy is 168 yuan per mu; and in Yuqing County, Guizhou Province, the subsidy is 90 yuan per mu. These differentiated subsidy policies take into account both the economic level of the region and the local demand for film usage—such as Inner Mongolia and Gansu, which are traditional provinces for film usage, accelerating the process of replacing conventional film with biodegradable film through subsidies. 4. The increase in industry scale helps reduce costs. The expansion of core raw material production capacity and the decrease in prices provide industrial support for the scaled application of biodegradable films. China’s PBAT (the core raw material for biodegradable films) production capacity is rapidly increasing and has reached 1.62 million tons per year. Companies such as Kingfa Technology, Lanshan Tunhe, Ruian Technology, Hubei Yihua, and Donghua Tianye have established large-scale production capabilities. The price of PBAT has dropped from 30,000 yuan/ton in 2021 to around 10,000 yuan/ton by 2025, directly leading to a reduction in the cost of the final application of biodegradable films, further narrowing the price gap with traditional films and creating favorable conditions for its promotion on a larger scale. From the construction of a regulatory framework based on policies and regulations, to financial subsidies that lower application thresholds, and then to industrial upgrades that drive down costs, China has formed a complete system to support the development of biodegradable plastic film. This system not only addresses the issue of "technical feasibility," but also tackles the problem of "high application costs," promoting the transition of biodegradable plastic film from "pilot demonstration" to "scaled application," and providing strong support for the green transformation of agriculture and the management of "white pollution" in farmland.

In March 2025, the relevant policy announcements issued by the Ministry of Finance outlined a new direction for rural construction and agricultural development. Among the key initiatives, the third point—"advancing rural construction and governance in a solid and orderly manner, promoting green agricultural development and the improvement of rural living environments, supporting the adoption and推广 of thicker high-strength mulch films, fully biodegradable mulch films, and the comprehensive utilization of crop straw"—stood out as particularly noteworthy, closely linked to the development of the biodegradable plastics industry.From the policy perspective, the government is continuously increasing support for the promotion of thick, high-strength plastic film, fully biodegradable plastic film, and the comprehensive utilization of crop straw. On one hand, through financial subsidy policies, the government reduces the cost for farmers to purchase biodegradable film, enhancing their enthusiasm for using environmentally friendly film. On the other hand, it is consistently increasing research and development investment, encouraging research institutions and enterprises to tackle technological challenges related to biodegradable film, continuously optimizing product performance and lowering production costs. At the same time, the government actively organizes various publicity and education activities to raise farmers' awareness of environmentally friendly film and the comprehensive utilization of straw, guiding them to actively participate in agricultural green development initiatives.From an industry development perspective, degradable plastic companies are迎来了新的发展机遇。Enterprises should seize this opportunity, increase RD investment, continuously improve product quality, enhance the cost-effectiveness of degradable mulch films, and strengthen market competitiveness. Actively collaborate with agricultural departments and research institutions to conduct demonstration promotion projects for degradable mulch films, allowing farmers to see and experience firsthand the advantages of degradable mulch films, thereby accelerating their adoption in agricultural production. Additionally, enterprises must strengthen collaborative efforts with upstream and downstream industries to build a complete and efficient industrial chain, jointly promoting green agricultural development and the improvement of rural living environments. (Note: The sentence "迎来了新的发展机遇" was not fully translated as it was likely a placeholder or formatting error in the original text. It is recommended to revise this part for clarity.)With the continuous enhancement of societal environmental awareness and the acceleration of agricultural modernization, the promotion of high-strength thickened mulch films, fully biodegradable mulch films, and the comprehensive utilization of crop straw are bound to embrace a broader development prospect. It is believed that through the joint efforts of all parties, China's rural areas will surely achieve the synergistic progress of economic development and ecological protection, painting a new, more beautiful, livable, and prosperous rural landscape.

Recently, the inventory of polyethylene production enterprises in China has decreased by 6.68% compared to the previous period, and it has fallen by 24.04% from its peak this year. Enterprise proactive price reductions and inventory clearance, along with trade discounts, have led to simultaneous declines in inventory and prices. The spot market shows mixed trends; HDPE saw localized price increases due to plant maintenance causing supply shortages, but LLDPE continued to fall due to weak demand, with the main price dropping to 8,075 yuan per ton. The agricultural film market saw price drops to 9,500-10,000 yuan per ton for dual anti-film due to decreases in both raw material costs and orders, while enterprise raw material inventories also reduced. Looking ahead, the upcoming Qingming holiday may spur some essential replenishment purchases, but the release of new production capacity and the winding down of mulch film demand suggest that polyethylene prices are expected to oscillate within a 50-100 yuan per ton range. Agricultural film prices and operating rates are expected to remain stable.Figure 1 Comparison of Sample Inventory and Price Trends of Polyethylene Producers in China (CNY/ton, right axis: 10,000 tons)Recently, the sample inventory of polyethylene production enterprises in China has maintained a downward trend, falling by 6.68% month-on-month. Currently, the inventory of polyethylene production enterprises is at a medium-to-high level compared to the past year, down 24.04% from the year's peak and up 66.79% from the year's low. Production enterprises have actively reduced prices to destock, and traders have also offered discounts to boost sales, leading to improved transactions. Both the inventory and prices of production enterprises have declined, showing a positive correlation between the two.Domestic polyethylene spot market prices fluctuate, with changes ranging from 30 to 150 yuan per ton. This week.Polyethylene marketDue to device maintenance and production changes, the supply of some HDPE varieties is slightly tight, leading to a price increase. However, overall market demand is limited, and end-users show significant resistance to high-priced resources, which restricts further price increases. At the same time, new production capacity is gradually being released, resulting in a bearish market sentiment. Merchants maintain an active sales strategy, but transactions remain weak. In China,LLDPE marketPrices continue to fall, and at the end of the month, market resources are slightly tight. Although cost support remains strong, supply and demand are weak, and participants in the market lack confidence in the future. Most are maintaining active sales, while downstream purchasing efforts are slowing down, resulting in average transactions. The mainstream price for LLDPE Melt Index 2 film material is around 8,075 yuan per ton.Figure 2 Weekly Comparison of Agricultural Film Raw Material Inventory Days and North China Greenhouse Film Price (yuan/ton, right axis: days)The prices of raw materials fluctuated and declined, reducing the cost of agricultural film. Coupled with a decrease in accumulated orders, some companies lowered prices to retain orders, leading to a drop in agricultural film product prices. As of March 26, 2025, the mainstream price of double-layer mulch film in North China was 9,500-10,000 RMB per ton. During this period, the inventory days of agricultural film began to decline, and the prices of agricultural film products also fell due to the drop in raw material prices. In the short term, the raw material inventory of agricultural film enterprises and the price trend of agricultural film moved in the same direction.The cumulative orders for agricultural film have decreased, coupled with fluctuating and declining raw material prices. Film enterprises are cautiously observing the market and mainly purchasing based on orders, resulting in a slight reduction in overall inventory for agricultural film companies. By product category: the demand for greenhouse film is in its off-season, with limited order accumulation and weak raw material consumption, leading to low purchasing enthusiasm among enterprises. The inventory days of raw materials for greenhouse film companies have increased only slightly. For ground film, large-scale enterprises are still in their peak production season, but order follow-ups have decreased. Film enterprises are purchasing raw materials at low prices based on orders, resulting in a reduction in raw material inventory.**Outlook for the Coming Period:** While production remains stable for some large-scale mulch film enterprises, new order intake for small and medium-sized enterprises has slowed, and corporate procurement is expected to decline. However, as the Qingming holiday falls next week, some companies may advance purchases for holiday needs. Although the consumer market has driven some short-cycle new orders, the gradual delivery of these orders has weakened support for operational activity, and the operating rate may decline. From the supply perspective, maintenance-related production losses next week are expected to decrease by 47,700 tons compared to this week. Overall, while maintenance-related supply disruptions may increase next week, newly operational enterprises will gradually normalize production. Downstream demand is expected to remain steady with essential restocking, and polyethylene prices are likely to continue fluctuating within a range of 50–100 yuan/ton. With the slowdown in new mulch film orders, production in the sector is gradually winding down. Coupled with the off-season for greenhouse film demand, raw material support remains weak. Although some companies may advance purchases ahead of the Qingming holiday, overall agricultural film demand is limited, further weakening raw material support. Therefore, agricultural film production is expected to remain stable next week, with the mainstream price of double-layer mulch film in North China likely holding steady at 9,500–10,000 yuan/ton. (Personal opinion, for reference only)

Definition of agricultural film and industrial chain diagramAgricultural film refers to the general term for plastic films used in agricultural production. It is the fourth largest agricultural production material after seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, and plays a significant role in increasing temperature, retaining moisture, drought resistance, water conservation, and boosting yield and income. Since the 1960s, China began producing and using agricultural film. After more than 60 years of development, its industrial chain has continuously improved, providing strong support for the development of the agricultural film industry.Specifically, the upstream of agricultural films involves raw material sectors, mainly including polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrene, etc.; the midstream involves the production and supply of agricultural films, which can be divided into light thin films, multi-purpose films, long-life films, biodegradable films, and insect-proof films according to different functions and uses; the downstream sector involves its end application scenarios, including farmland coverage, canal and water storage pool lining, edible fungus cultivation, and storage of green fodder, etc.Source: Organized by Guanyan TianxiaIn the context of worsening white pollution, industry-related policies are becoming stricter.Agricultural film is difficult to recycle and does not degrade easily, leading to "white pollution." This not only damages the landscape and destroys soil structure in farmlands, reduces soil permeability, hinders crop root growth, affects water and nutrient absorption, and results in reduced crop yields, but also causes pollution to soil, groundwater, surface water, plant crops, and the atmosphere due to residual film in the soil. If mistakenly consumed by animals, it can lead to animal deaths and even have an impact on human health.With the increasing use of agricultural film, the "white pollution" caused by discarded agricultural film has increasingly become an important component of agricultural non-point source pollution. According to the second national pollution source census bulletin, the cumulative residual amount of plastic film in the country reached 1.1848 million tons by 2017. In order to prevent and control "white pollution" in farmland, China has successively issued multiple policies in recent years, including the "Action Plan for the Battle Against Agricultural and Rural Pollution," "Opinions of the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control," and "Management Measures for Agricultural Film," which involve promoting the recycling and utilization of agricultural film, prohibiting the production and use of plastic film with a thickness of less than 0.01 millimeters, and strengthening the whole-process supervision of agricultural film, among other measures.Policies Related to China's Agricultural Film IndustrySource: Organized by Guanyan TianxiaThe production of agricultural film has rebounded, and its proportion of domestic plastic film production has been declining year by year.Affected by the aforementioned policies, the production of agricultural films in China has shown a downward trend since 2017, dropping to 773,900 tons in 2020, a year-on-year decrease of 9.18%. Although the production of agricultural films continued to decline in 2019 and 2020, the rate of decline significantly slowed down against the backdrop of increasing application proportions of high-end agricultural films such as biodegradable films. By 2021, production had begun to slightly rebound to 798,700 tons, a year-on-year increase of 3.23%. In 2022, production continued to rise slightly, reaching approximately 831,700 tons, with a year-on-year growth of 4.11%.Data source: China Plastics Processing Industry Association, Guanyan Tianxia compilationAgricultural film is one of the segmented markets of plastic film. In recent years, its proportion of the total plastic film production has shown a year-on-year decline, but the rate of decrease has gradually stabilized since 2021, reaching 4.91% in 2022. Data source: Guanyan Tianxia collationThe development opportunities for biodegradable agricultural films are significant, bringing new growth potential to the industry.According to the report published by the Research and Consulting Network, "Deep Analysis of the Current Situation and Future Forecast of China's Agricultural Film Industry Report (2024-2031)》Shows that biodegradable agricultural films not only possess the functions and characteristics of traditional agricultural films such as polyethylene and polypropylene, but also have the advantages of being biodegradable and pollution-free. With the continuous advancement of the governance of "white pollution" in farmland, biodegradable agricultural film, as a substitute for traditional agricultural film, has a large substitution space. At the same time, national policies are also vigorously promoting the development of biodegradable agricultural film. The "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Comprehensively Promoting Rural Revitalization and Accelerating the Modernization of Agriculture and Rural Areas", the "14th Five-Year Plan for National Agricultural Green Development Plan", the "14th Five-Year Plan for Promoting the Modernization of Agriculture and Rural Areas" and other policies have been successively introduced to accelerate the research and development and promotion of biodegradable agricultural film. Under the governance of "white pollution" in farmland and the promotion of policies, biodegradable agricultural film has ushered in major development opportunities, and also brought new growth space for the agricultural film industry.Policies related to the degradable film industry in ChinaSource: Organized by Guanyan WorldIt is worth mentioning that due to factors such as the underdevelopment of biodegradable film technology, the low number of manufacturers, and high raw material prices, the cost of biodegradable agricultural films is relatively high compared to traditional agricultural films. It is reported that the input cost of biodegradable film per acre is about three times that of polyethylene film, which also reduces farmers' willingness to adopt it. However, several regions, including Fujian Province, Guizhou Province, and Hunan Province, have introduced subsidy policies for biodegradable agricultural films, which will help narrow the price gap between biodegradable and traditional films, benefiting its application and penetration. In the future, with the promotion of favorable industry policies, gradual maturity of technology, an increase in manufacturers, a decrease in raw material prices, and the expansion of local subsidy policies, it is expected that the market penetration rate of biodegradable agricultural films will continue to rise.2023-2024 Subsidy Situation for Biodegradable Agricultural Films in Certain AreasSource: Public information, organized by Guanyan Tianxia (WJ)

From February 13 to 16, an academic exchange conference focusing on the Sino-UK agricultural microplastics project was held enthusiastically in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. This meeting injected strong momentum into the deep advancement of the project.The project is led by Academician Zhang Fusuo and Professor Liu Xuejun from the College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, in collaboration with Professor Davey Jones and Professor Dave Chadwick from Bangor University, UK, and has received strong support from the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). The project team conducted a comprehensive and in-depth research discussion around the widespread use of agricultural plastics in developing countries globally and the major issues of green and sustainable development in agriculture.Scholars and experts from China, the UK, Egypt, Sri Lanka, and other countries gathered together, including Professor Liu Xuejun and Associate Professor Wang Kai from the College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Researcher Yan Changrong from the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, as well as renowned scholars and related team members from Bangor University, University of Bristol, Mansoura University in Egypt, and University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka. They all participated in this project exchange conference and attended the International Conference on Micro/Nanoplastics and Human Health held concurrently.During the meeting, Researcher Mojith Ariyaratne from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, warmly welcomed the arrival of the experts, faculty, and students. Professors Davey Jones and Dave Chadwick gave a comprehensive introduction to the project and chaired discussions on the project's summary work and future cooperation directions. Professor Liu Xuejun and other experts also engaged in in-depth project discussions.Among them, Associate Professor Wang Kai detailed the overall progress of the Chinese side of the project. Dr. Qu Kaijing, a doctoral student from the College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, explained the necessity and challenges of atmospheric microplastic research and shared the latest findings of atmospheric microplastic studies in the North China Plain. Researcher Yan Changrong demonstrated an application of a mulch film selector, which can recommend more suitable mulch film products based on the environmental conditions of the crop growing area. Meanwhile, Bai Runhao, a doctoral student from the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, discussed the temporal evolution differences in abundance, size, and other characteristics of biodegradable and polyethylene mulch film microplastics entering the soil, as well as the feasibility of using neural networks to characterize the degradation stages of microplastics.In addition, representatives from the UK, Sri Lanka, and Egypt also shared their respective work progress and achievements. Experts from various units also put forward targeted policy recommendations on the impact of the project, the current status of global and Chinese agricultural film usage, and the issues of macro/micro plastic pollution, and conducted friendly exchanges of opinions.After the meeting, the participants visited experimental fields, atmospheric sampler devices, and biochar preparation facilities at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, further deepening their understanding and knowledge of the related research of the project.