ALENA ANOUSINH

Soil-Biodegradable Mulches: An Outlook of its Use in California

Alena Anousinh,  Water Quality Program Associate. California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Soil-biodegradable plastic mulches (BDMs) are a commercial alternative to non-biodegradable polyethylene (PE) plastic mulch films. Plastic mulch films derived from PE are a staple tool in agriculture, with 7.9 million pounds of plastic mulch and fumigation film estimated to be used annually in Monterey County, CA alone.

To help combat plastic waste generation and pollution, BDMs have been introduced and are engineered to be tilled into soil after use and broken down over time by soil microorganisms. Internationally, BDMs have been utilized by growers for decades; within California, BDMs have not been widely adopted due to concerns regarding slow degradation, incompatibility with fumigation, food safety, and inability to be used in certified organic farms. 

This presentation will evaluate the use of BDMs as an alternative to PE mulch in conventional strawberry operations, with a focus on their application in California’s co-rotational agricultural system and trials nationwide (USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative Award #2022-51181-38325). We will cover scenarios to help overcome the key challenges to increase adoption of BDMs and clarify situations where other alternatives should be considered such as PE mulch recycling. This presentation will also provide a perspective on the environmental impacts of BDMs, economic factors to consider, and beneficial field practices that are compatible with BDM application.

Alena joined CMSF in 2023 and serves as a Water Quality Program Associate in the Plasticulture Division. There she collaborates with agricultural industry members to implement practices that improve agricultural water quality. She helps conduct trials of soil-biodegradable mulch in place of traditional plastic mulch in strawberry fields, explores end-of-life solutions for plasticulture, and seeks to reduce land-to-sea marine debris.

Prior to joining CMSF, Alena was a Life Lab Farm Manager and worked as an organic agriculture research assistant at the University of California Santa Cruz. Alena holds a Bachelor of Art degree in Environmental Studies and Agroecology from UCSC, where she focused on sustainable organic agriculture/food systems and soil-borne diseases in strawberry production.