New opportunities to increase antimicrobial resistance of agricultural films for more effective crop protection

A pioneering solution to control and extend the useful life of biodegradable polymers, which will create new opportunities to increase the antimicrobial resistance of agricultural films for more effective crop protection has been unveiled by SANITIZED AG. The new Sanitized® antimicrobial solutions, from Switzerland’s world-leading producer of antimicrobial hygiene function and material protection for textiles and plastics, prevent rapid degradation of biodegradable polymers by protecting against microbe and fungal attack. They allow polymers to be programmed in their effective use and yet remain fully biodegradable. Consequently, PLA (Polylactic Acid) films made from renewable resources and films based on other biodegradable polymers can maintain their performance criteria and functional life expectancy for the desired duration.The use of plastic films by farmers is fully accepted as one of the tools that extend a growing season, protecting young plants from weather, often early in the year, and from unexpected and unpredictable storms. The agriculture industry was one of the first market segments to embrace biodegradable materials in its efforts to ensure that sustainability remains fundamental to the products that are eventually consumed by the general public. However, biodegradable films have suffered in the past from extremely rapid degradation leaving young plants vulnerable to weather exposure. Biodegradable polymer based film must remain in place for a defined period of time, depending on the crop that it is protecting and the region where it is in use. This can range from up to one year, but most often, three to six months, allowing seedlings to propagate and become established such that they can flourish on their own and benefit from being in the open air. “Sanitized® enables control over the biodegradable time frame allowing the farming industry to maximize the production volume per hectare as well as determining when crops can be harvested and delivered in optimum condition to the customer. Depending on the concentration of the Sanitized® additives and factors such as the expected form of exposure and moisture levels, the effective life expectancy of the film can be determined accordingly. As a result, antimicrobial additives are helping to improve the cost effectiveness of crop production as well as contributing to the overall sustainability of the food we enjoy.” comments Maria Toscan, Product Manager Polymers at SANITIZED AG.