China’s agricultural plastic mulch transition is a food security imperative with global implications

Recognizing these risks, China introduced a national life-cycle regulation for agricultural films in 2020 (ref. ⁵). However, persistent challenges remain, including gaps in residue recovery systems, inconsistent enforcement in remote regions — particularly in northwest China — and limited uptake of biodegradable alternatives. Addressing these areas is crucial for strengthening the policy’s overall effectiveness.

China is the world’s largest consumer of agricultural plastic films, accounting for more than 68% of global consumption⁶ and applying more than 2.5 million tonnes annually across roughly 20 million hectares. Each year, an estimated 0.5 million tonnes of residues — approximately 18.6% of the total applied — remain in soils, and about 4,329 tonnes are transported into aquatic systems via erosion and run-off². These burdens are not evenly distributed. For example, Shandong and Sichuan⁶ show the lowest residual film ratios (0.027 and 0.0097, respectively) despite having the highest historical plastic film use in China (ranked first and third, respectively), contrasting sharply with provinces such as Xinjiang (ratio 0.42); this underscores persistent regional disparities in capacity and governance. Beyond on-farm impacts, life-cycle emissions are substantial; production in plastic mulch alone could contribute 2.5 kg CO₂ per kg of film⁷, linking plastic mulching directly to climate goals. These patterns, therefore, point to the need for a coordinated and actionable framework that operates across policy, technology and place.