"Improved End-of-Life of Plastic Mulches"; illustration of large strawberry with tractor tilling mulch into a strawberry field.

Soil-Biodegradable Plastic Mulches (BDMs) Commercially Available in the U.S.

Authors

Shuresh Ghimire, Department of Extension, University of Connecticut, Vernon, CT
Gracia Puerto, Department of Horticulture, Washington State University Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center, Mount Vernon, WA
Lisa Devetter, Department of Horticulture, Washington State University Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center, Mount Vernon, WA
Carol Miles, Department of Horticulture, Washington State University Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center, Mount Vernon, WA

Revised October 2026

Summary

This factsheet provides information about commercially available soil-biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM) currently available in the United States, including polymers commonly used in their manufacture. Certified BDM products supported by biodegradation testing and standards are presented in one table, while commercially available BDMs without certification are listed in a separate table. Some products may claim to be allowable in organic farming, but to date none are allowed in the U.S.

Project funding acknowledgement

Overview

The goal of this factsheet is to provide growers with clear and accessible information about soil-biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM) products currently available in the United States. This information was compiled from publicly available sources, including journal articles, supplier and manufacturer websites, and direct communication with suppliers and manufacturers. Certified BDM products supported by biodegradation testing and standards are presented in one table, while commercially available degradable mulches without soil-biodegradability certification are listed in a separate table.

All information is based on referenced sources and does not reflect direct user experience or evaluation. Some of the products listed may still be undergoing certification processes. The information provided is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of the publication date. Mention of product names is not an indication of university endorsement nor promotion. Some products may claim to be acceptable for use in organic farming, however, to date no soil-biodegradable or compostable plastics are allowed for use in USDA-certified organic production. Growers should always confirm approval with their specific certifier before applying any product to organic production.

Product Information

Commonly used polymers in commercially available biodegradable plastic films include TPS, PCL, PBAT, PHA, PLA, and PBS (see definitions in Table 1). Some biodegradable polymers are biobased while others are not. For example, TPS (thermoplastic starch) is biobased, and PBAT (poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)) is not biobased, though both are biodegradable and free of phthalates. One notable resin, Mater-Bi, is composed of PBAT and TPS and is fully biodegradable and compostable.

Table 1

Common Polymers in Biodegradable Plastic

Acronym	Polymer
TPS	Thermoplastic starch
PCL	Poly(ε-caprolactone)
PBAT	Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)
PHA	Polyhydroxyalkanoates
PLA	Polylactic acid
PBS	Polybutylene succinate

Table 2 and Table 3 present key product information and characteristics for the BDMs. The following descriptions define column headings for these two tables.

Product is the commercial name of the soil-biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM). U.S. Supplier is the company responsible for distributing the product. Polymer or resin is unshaped raw material(s) used to manufacture plastic films as reported by the source or manufacturing company. Selected product information includes the product attributes listed on the suppliers’ website, such as color options and degradation timelines.

Certification refers to the process by which an independent, third-party organization verifies that a polymer or a product meets specific claims or standards. For soil-biodegradable plastics, one of the most widely accepted certifications is the ‘Biodegradable SOIL’ certification issued by TÜV Austria. Another certification widely used in Europe is ‘Biodegradable in soil’ issued by DIN CERTCO under DIN EN 17033. It is important to note that if a biodegradable plastic is certified as compostable, this does not mean that is soil-biodegradable. It is also important to note that while ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials) has standards like ASTM D6400 for compostable plastics, the U.S. does not have a standard or certificate for soil-biodegradable plastics and so only European certifications are available.

It is also important to distinguish between certification, testing, and standards. Certification involves independent verification, testing refers to the procedures and methodologies used to evaluate a product, and standards define the specific criteria a product must meet. Certification information in our tables is presented by the manufacturer on their website or provided through direct communication with company representatives.

Rows of onion plants on mulched beds in a field — Figure 1. A field of green onions grown with soil-biodegradable mulch in Connecticut.

Soil-Biodegradable Plastic Mulches with Relevant Certification in the United States

The mulch products in Table 2 are certified BDM products supported by biodegradation testing and standards.

Table 2

List of soil-biodegradable plastic mulch products marketed in the United States with reported soil-biodegradability certification information.

Product Nameⁱ	U.S. Supplier(s)ⁱ	Polymer or resin	Certification Statusⁱⁱ	Selected product information
BioGuard	Brookdale Farm Supplies, Hollis, NH Nolt's Produce Supplies, Ephrata, PA PolyExpert, Laval, QC H7S 1B1, Canada	Mater-Bi (PBAT + TPS) Ecovio (PBAT + PLA)	TÜV Austria OK Biodegradable SOIL EN 13432 ASTM D6400	Black, white-on-black, and gray-on-black. Supplier claims that degradation begins after about 4-5 months for 0.6-mil mulch and 5-6 months for 0.8-mil mulch, depending on climate.
Biosol	SPR Packaging, Rockwall, TX	Not specified in source	TÜV Austria OK Biodegradable SOIL EN 17033	Supplier information did not specify color options or expected field life.
Reyfilm Bio	SPR Agri, Rockwall, TX	Not specified in source	TÜV Austria OK Biodegradable SOIL	Black, white/black, and clear. 0.6-mil mulch marketed for 2- to 6-month crops and 0.8-mil mulch for 9- to 12-month crops.
Bio360	Berry Hill Drip, Buffalo Junction, VA Dubois Agrinovation, St-Rémi, QC J0L 2L0, Canada Brookdale Farm Supplies, Hollis, NH	Mater-Bi (PBAT + TPS)	ASTM D6400 BPI EN 13432 EN 17033 TÜV Austria OK Biodegradable SOIL associated with feedstock	Available in several colors and sizes. The primary feedstock has soil-biodegradability certification, but the finished Bio360 mulch has not obtained product-level soil-biodegradability certification.

Product names and suppliers are included for educational purposes only; the list may not be exhaustive and does not imply endorsement.
Certification status and product claims are subject to change and should be verified.

This table was adapted from Table 1 of Ghimire, S. et al. 2026. Soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulches: Certification Status and Economic Considerations for Growers and Extension Professionals in the United States. HortTechnology 36(5):1049–1057. Adapted under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Biodegradable Plastic Mulches without Relevant Certifications in the United States

There are biodegradable plastic mulches without relevant certifications being marketed in the U.S. and we recommend caution using such products as they may not be soil-biodegradable. Some of the products listed in Table 3 may still be in the process of obtaining certification and may or may not be soil-biodegradable. If you have had a positive experience with a product that has not yet been certified, we do not discourage its use.

Some of these products are certified compostable, but compost conditions are not equivalent to soil conditions. Other products that are not listed here are made with polyethylene and starch, such that when the starch biodegrades the polyethylene pieces remain. Some products also not listed are oxo-degradable and these are often incorrectly marketed as biodegradable, but they do not biodegrade in soil, and contribute to microplastic generation. Oxo-degradable plastic has been banned in Europe. For more information regarding Oxo-degradable plastic mulches, see Oxo-degradable Plastics Risk Environmental Pollution.

Table 3

List of Plastic mulch products marketed in the United States without reported soil-biodegradability certification for the finished product.

Product^a	U.S. Supplier(s)^a	Material information	Certification status
Bio-Gold	Rain-Flo Irrigation, East Earl, PA	Not specified	No relevant soil-biodegradability certification
Film Organic	FilmOrganic, Laval, Quebec H7M 1Y9, Canada Rain-Flo Irrigation, East Earl, PA	Not specified	TÜV Austria industrially compostable certification
Film Organic Solafilm	Rain-Flo Irrigation, East Earl, PA	Not specified	No relevant soil-biodegradability certification
Sotrafilm Biodegradable	SPR Packaging, Rockwall, TX	Biopolymer film containing biodegradable and renewable raw materials	No relevant soil-biodegradability certification
Organic Guard	FilmOrganic, Laval, Quebec H7M 1Y9, Canada	Made from corn, biodegradable bioplastics, and minerals	Not yet certified

Product names and suppliers are included for educational purposes only; the list may not be exhaustive and does not imply endorsement. Product availability and certification status are subject to change; users should verify current documentation before purchase or use.

This table was adapted from Table 2 of Ghimire, S. et al. 2026. Soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulches: Certification Status and Economic Considerations for Growers and Extension Professionals in the United States. HortTechnology 36(5):1049–1057. Adapted under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Use Caution Advisory Statement

All information provided is based on referenced sources and does not reflect direct user experience or product evaluation. The inclusion of product names does not imply endorsement or promotion by the university. Organic growers should always confirm approval with their specific certifier before applying any product to organic production. We advise caution when using products that lack certification regarding soil-biodegradability. Mulch manufacturers and suppliers should have their products tested by a third-party entity to ensure their product is fully soil-biodegradable and is not contributing to plastic pollution.

Practical Tip for Growers

Confirm certification. Ask for documentation of the exact certification and film thickness. Keep records on file.
Avoid oxo‑degradable plastics. These are not the same as biodegradable and they fragment into microplastics.
Match film to crop and season. Consider durability needed for your climate and crop cycle length.
Field test before scaling-up. Existing standards, certification, and research should reduce the need for every grower to conduct extensive on-farm testing. Where local conditions or product performance are uncertain, trial a few beds in your soil and climate to verify laying, planting, and in season performance.
Check storage history and product age. Before purchase, confirm proper storage conditions and request the manufacturing date; BDMs may lose strength during storage, and products are best used within 2 years of receipt, with manufacturing date ideally no more than 6 months before delivery.
Talk with your certifier. Policies and allowances can change; confirm use in your production system.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Dan Martens, Pierre Sarazin, and Trevor Hardy for their valuable insights and constructive feedback that contributed to strengthening this factsheet.

Useful Links

For more information, you can visit the following online resources that are links to external sites, which are provided for the convenience of readers. The University of Connecticut and Washington State University do not manage, control, or take responsibility for the content of external sites. These external sites do not implicitly or explicitly represent official positions and policies of either university.

Bio360

BioGuard

FilmOrganic

Reference

Ghimire, S., Miles, C., Galinato, S. P., Wortman, S. E., & Velandia, M. (2026). Soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulches: Certification Status and Economic Considerations for Growers and Extension Professionals in the United States. HortTechnology, 36(5), 1049–1057.

This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, under award numbers 2022-51181-38325 & 2016-51181-25404, Hatch Projects 7005372 and 7003737, and CPPM award 2021-70006-35582. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy. Additional support provided by WSARE under award 2019-51181-30012.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

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