SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China vowed to improve the recycling rates of plastic mulch used in farming, the government said on Wednesday, amid mounting concerns about soil contamination as unrecovered bits of the thin film get left behind, leaving traces in crops.
Plastic mulch, basically thin sheeting placed over individual crops, is used throughout China's arid and dusty north to improve growing conditions and boost yields by retaining moisture for crops and suppressing weeds.
