Go Organic: Stop Using Plastic Mulch

CAP President Mr Mohideen Addul Kader (centre) demonstrating mulching with CAP officers.

In conjunction with the International Zero Waste Month (IZWM), the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) would like to raise awareness on the effects of plastic mulching in farming and urges farmers and gardeners to use organic mulching methods. This year’s IZWM focuses on innovative organic waste management solutions to reduce food loss, waste, and methane emissions.

Mulching with farm inputs at CAP urban farm.

Mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of an area of soil to conserve moisture, improve the fertility and health of the soil and reduce weed growth. Traditionally, mulching was done using leaves from hedges and trimmed trees and shrubs, paddy straw, dry grass clippings, twigs, bark and other organic. However, since the introduction of plastic mulch in the 1950s it has become a component of modern agriculture, and this poses substantial health and environmental risks.

Mulching with dry leaves, cut grass at CAP farm.

The most common type of synthetic mulch is black agricultural nylon film and supershine plastic. Most synthetic mulches containing low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a synthetic resin, which raises serious environmental concerns. Polyethylene takes hundreds of years to degrade, depending on environmental factors like moisture, heat, light, and microbial activity. During degradation, it releases microplastics that disrupt soil enzymatic and microbial activity, negatively impacting plant growth and productivity.

Mulching with cut grass.

Plastic mulching harms the environment as it releases microplastics into the soil, harming soil microorganisms and reducing productivity. It also leads to health effects as polyethylene contains phthalates, an endocrine disrupting chemical that is detrimental to the reproductive, neurological and developmental systems of humans.

Mulching in pots.

As such, CAP urges farmers to switch to organic mulch instead. Organic mulch is made from materials found in nature and is usually broken down into simpler compounds by soil microorganisms. Organic mulching offers several environmental and health benefits. It improves soil structure, enhances moisture retention, reduces erosion, and provides essential nutrients as it decomposes.

By suppressing weeds and regulating soil temperature, organic mulching boosts plant health and productivity. It also supports biodiversity, promoting a healthy ecosystem for beneficial microbes and insects. From a health perspective, organic mulching contributes to safer food production by avoiding harmful chemicals found in plastic mulches. It fosters cleaner, toxin-free soil, improving the nutritional value of crops and reducing the risk of chemical contamination in the food chain.

Companion plant mulching.
Mint grown with brinjal as companion plant mulching.

CAP has been promoting several types of mulching such as green mulching; mulching with input gathered from the farm or garden such as leaves, bark, wood chips, straws and husks.  Suitable companion plants will serve as living mulch and using leafy vegetable as cash inter-crop can also assist farmers to control weed.  Applying organic mulching materials in the pots will benefit urban gardeners to maintain soil moisture and fertility.

Plastic mulch films are one of the main sources of microplastic pollution in agroecosystems and cause detrimental effects on the environment and poses health risks. Hence, we strongly urge farmers to switch to organic mulching.

 

 

 

 

 

Mohideen Abdul Kader
President
Consumers’ Association of Penang

Press statement, 23 January 2025

 

For more information, regarding the impacts of mulching, you can download CAP brochure at
https://consumer.org.my/how-plastic-mulching-in-farming-harms-the-environment/

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