Plasticulture

Plasticulture is a term referring to the practice of using plastic materials for agricultural reasons.

The plastic materials themselves are known as "ag plastics". Ag plastics used in plasticulture include soil fumigation film, irrigation drip tape or tubing, nursery pots and silage bags, but the term is most used to describe all kinds of plant or soil coverings. Such coverings include plastic mulch film, row coverings, high and low tunnels, and plastic greenhouses.

Usage in Southern Spain
The use of plasticulture is growing rapidly, particularly around Almería in southern Spain. The eastern approaches to Almería, north of the airport are densly covered, along with an area further northeast in surrounding towns of Campohermoso, Los Pipaces and Los Grillos, which are near Níjar.

The densest concentration is about 20 km southwest from Almería, where almost all of Campo de Dalías, a low-lying cape, is now under approximately 20,000 hectares of plastic. Further west, a similar, yet smaller, coastal plain around Carchuna, southeast of Motril, is similarly enveloped. The technique of plasticulture is not restricted to the plains; it is also applied to wide terraces on sides of shallow valleys. The valley north of Castell de Ferro exhibits this.

Aerial photographs and coordinates

 * Center of Campo de Dalías Dense concentration of plastic greenhouses
 * 36.86°N 2.38°W Eastern outskirts of Almería
 * 36.91°N 2.15°W Níjar valley
 * 36.70°N 3.44°W Carchuna
 * 36.74°N 3.365°W Valley north of Castell de Ferro]

Recycling
One significant component of plasticulture is disposing of used ag plastics. Technologies exist that which allow for several ag plastics to be recycled into viable plastic resins for reuse in the manufacturing industry of plastics.