China Reforms Agricultural Plastic Policy to Combat Residual Film Pollution

By Dr. Noopur JainReviewed by Laura ThomsonJul 23 2025

In a recent review article published in the journal Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering, researchers explored the dual role of agricultural plastics in modern farming systems. They emphasized their importance in boosting productivity and ensuring food security while acknowledging their environmental drawbacks.

The study focuses on China, the world’s largest consumer of agricultural plastics, to analyze how its policy framework has evolved to address the issues related to plastic waste, especially microplastic pollution from residual films, and to identify pathways toward more sustainable management practices.

The Increasing Use of Plastic Films and Their Consequences

China’s rapid agricultural modernization since the 1980s has led to a rapid expansion in plastic film use, driven primarily by the need to increase crop productivity and adapt to technological advancements.

Initially, policies prioritized technological promotion and production growth with minimal environmental regulation. This period, spanning from the early 1980s to 1997, was characterized by an urgent push for infrastructure and technology adoption, with little regard for environmental consequences.

The widespread use of plastic films, especially for mulching in crop production, improved yields but caused environmental concerns related to plastic residues accumulating on farmland, termed "white pollution."

Studies Highlighted in this Review

The research adopts a systematic review approach, analyzing official policy documents, statistical reports, and scholarly literature related to China’s agricultural plastics management over different periods.

The authors dissect policies issued from 1982 through recent years to map the evolution of governance frameworks. They also review relevant statistics on plastic use, waste, and recycling rates obtained from national surveys such as the Second National Census of Pollution Sources, alongside case studies of regional programs with successful recycling practices.

The study draws lessons from international experiences in sustainable plastics management, analyzing technological innovations, policy mechanisms, and market-driven incentives in various countries. This comprehensive review aims to identify effective strategies and ongoing challenges, providing a solid foundation for proposing improvements and long-term policy directions for China’s agricultural plastic waste management systems.

Results and Discussion

The study finds that China has made visible progress, with notable increases in recycling rates. For example, Xinjiang achieved a 90% recycling rate for used film in 2021, and Gansu reached 85% in 2023. These outcomes were driven by environmental regulations, social norms, and regional initiatives. Yet, the scale of residual film pollution remains significant: the 2017 data show around 1.18 million tons of residual film, which is a substantial environmental liability.

After 1997, China’s policy focus shifted from expansion to environmental management. In the second phase, the government introduced regulations to control residual film pollution and encouraged regional innovations in recycling and management, though implementation remained inconsistent and short-term.

During this period, incentive mechanisms, such as subsidies and pilot programs, aimed to promote recycling, but faced challenges such as market demand and farmers’ incentives. By 2017, a third phase emerged, emphasizing systematic, whole-lifecycle management with region-specific strategies, advanced technological solutions, and stronger regulatory frameworks to promote sustainable use and disposal of plastics.

Throughout these phases, China’s policies gradually moved from solely promoting technological adoption to integrating environmental standards, pollution control, and regional governance. Despite achievements such as increased recycling rates in some provinces, residual film pollution persists, and systemic policies necessary for long-term sustainability remain underdeveloped.

Despite these advances, challenges hamper the development of a sustainable management system. Farmers often lack strong economic incentives to collect and dispose of plastic waste properly due to limited benefits and high collection costs. Contaminated mulch films are difficult to recycle because they contain soil residues and other contaminants, which increase processing costs. Additionally, limited infrastructure, technological constraints, and low-quality recycling markets further diminish recyclability and economic viability. Many farmers resort to simply incorporating residual plastic into the soil, exacerbating pollution and secondary environmental risks.

Government pilot programs and regional initiatives have shown promise but lack the nationwide scope and long-term stability required for systemic change. Incentivizing farmers to participate in recycling remains difficult without robust market mechanisms for recycled products, and the current policies tend to focus on interim solutions rather than comprehensive, long-term systems.

Conclusion

The article concludes that China has achieved important milestones in managing agricultural plastics, transitioning from a focus on expansion to environmentally conscious policies emphasizing lifecycle management. However, significant barriers remain, including inadequate infrastructure, limited market development for recycled plastics, and insufficient behavioral incentives among farmers. Achieving a sustainable system necessitates the development of an integrated, long-term policy framework combining regulatory, technological, and economic instruments.

Future strategies should involve establishing a unified national management system that fosters technological innovation, incentivizes recycling, and aligns environmental standards with market mechanisms.