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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Strawberry fields forever: that is, how many grams of plastics are used to grow a strawberry?

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In the agricultural sector, plastic is one of the most important tools for improving the managerial and economic performance of companies. The horticultural production under protected cultivation, in particular, makes abundant use of plastic polymers. Polymers that mostly turn into waste. This study aims to identify the main characteristics and factors affecting the decision of farmers operating in the strawberry production sector to recycle the plastic material used on-farm and quantify the plastic used in relation to the different types of materials used. Data come from one of the Italian most specialized areas in the strawberry sector, Marsala. Main findings show that behind a typical 250-gram basket of strawberries, the production process has generated more than 20 grams of plastic waste, consisting of different polymers. In comparison to what was thought it is exactly in the phase of acquisition of the factors of production, and in their transformation that it is possible to intervene to reduce the quantities of plastic polymers that are introduced into the soil. Our main result adds to previous knowledge that the informed producer (awareness) is the key to solving the problem. Improving environmental sustainability, and creating a circular economy.