Recycled Plastics Used in the Production of Agricultural Nets for Crop Protection

The sustainability of agricultural systems is essential for protecting the rural environment, as well as for feeding the future generations. The creation of efficient closed-cycle farming systems, would lead agricultural production to have less impact on the rural environment. In this framework, the use of plastic nets for crop protection is increasing more and more, hence adding benefits not only to agricultural production, but also to farmers and to the surrounding ecosystems. In fact, thanks to the use of nets for crop protection, it is possible to control the main production parameters inside a greenhouse or a tunnel. In addition, these nets may significantly contribute to energy saving, helping to protect the crop by reducing and optimizing the use of fossil fuels and agro-chemicals, thus limiting their impact on the environment. The purpose of the present experimental work has been to analyze the eco-sustainable innovations coming from plastic nets produced with partially recycled material. Some of these nets, have been subjected to tensile tests in longitudinal and transverse direction, as well as to spectro-photometric analysis, aimed to verify the transmittance and reflectance of the fabric in the UV/PAR/NIR spectrum (200 nm to 2500 nm) and shading effect. The results allowed evaluating and discussing the potential use of partially recycled nets in agriculture that would contribute to reducing the plastic footprint of agriculture.