Turning recovered plastic mulch into opportunities for asphalt

In this episode of Mulch Matters, host Dr. Nataliya Shcherbatyuk sits down with Dr. Karl Englund (Washington State University) and Dr. Kun Zhang (California State University, Chico) to explore one of the most challenging—and promising—topics in agricultural sustainability: recycling plastic mulch. Karl and Kun share how their backgrounds in recycled plastics, composites, and asphalt engineering led them into this interdisciplinary project. Together, they unpack the realities of contamination, soil adhesion, fumigant residues, and the complex logistics of collecting agricultural plastics. As Karl notes, "the contamination of the soil is probably the biggie" and Kun highlights that "plastic mulch recycling in asphalt is a technically sound solution." Listeners will learn: Why agricultural plastics are harder to recycle than post‑consumer plastics How asphalt pavement can serve as a value‑added recycling pathway How soil type, contamination levels, and rheology affect recyclability What future technologies may reshape plastic mulch end‑of‑life management This episode offers a rare behind‑the‑scenes look at the science, engineering, and collaboration driving new solutions for agricultural plastic waste. This work is supported by Specialty Crops Research Initiative Award 2022-51181-38325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed on this podcast are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Intro and outro music credit to Zakhar Valaha from Pixabay