###### Abstract  
Agricultural activities have been positively affected by the use of plastic products, but this has resulted in the production of plastic waste and led to an increase in environmental pollution. To continue benefiting from the use of plastics but addressing at the same time the environmental issue, two strategies seem viable: the development of technologies for extending plastics lifespan and the gradual replacement of traditional non-biodegradable materials by biodegradable ones, at least for some products. This study focuses on a territorial analysis, performed using a Geographic Information System (GIS) in an agricultural area of the Apulia region (southern Italy). Areas of agricultural plastic waste production were identified through land-use maps. The application of plastic waste indices to different crop types and plastic products allowed quantifying and georeferencing actual plastic waste production. From this actual visualization, the other strategies were obtained by properly managing the indices. Two improved scenarios were obtained, the first consisted of extending the lifespan of some plastics, and the second entailed the introduction of some biodegradable alternatives. About 11,103 tons of agricultural plastic waste are yearly produced in the area and 7450 tons come from covering films. Lifespan extension would reduce the annual waste amount by about 25%, while more alternative products are needed to achieve significant results in the second scenario. sustainability; GIS; land use; plastic detection; waste management; biodegradable plastic; products lifespan +
Footnote †: journal: Medical  
Plastic products used in agriculture, especially in modern practices, help to improve productivity, as well as to reduce food losses and waste and to achieve higher food security [7]. The great success of plastics in agriculture is related to their peculiarities: the lightness and the good mechanical properties, the ease of installation, use and management, versatility of applications, and low cost. Among the most used agricultural plastics, there are multichins films, tunnel and greenhouse films and nets, irrigation pipes, bags and sacks for seeds and fertilizers, silage films, bottles for pesticides and fertilizers, coatings, non-woven protective textiles, fruits and plants detectors, strings and ropes, and other plastics used to store, transport, and sell agricultural products. Plastics are based on synthetic or semisynthetic polymers of organic molecules, designed to obtain a wide variety of products with different properties. Most plastics also contain additives added to the compound to provide the polymer with some specific properties required for the final product. A wide range of plastic polymers with proper additives and physical properties is used in agriculture [8; 9]. It is a date of fact that there is a high variability between the different plastic products. Furthermore, the useful lifespan varies a lot depending on the application and the context of use. With some exceptions, most of the plastic products are single-use and reach their end of life in less than one year. This means that there is a relevant problem concerning the plastics' end of life, causing them to be one of the main sources of waste. This high quantity and the quality of agricultural plastic waste (APW) needs a proper management system that includes the collection, disposal, and possible recycling of plastic material. This system should consider the chemical composition of the APW and that it is often contaminated with chemicals or dirt of soil and organic matter [10]. APW represents a complex issue and a serious environmental problem. APW mismanagement and bad practices, such as abandonment, burying, or burning in fields and disposal in landfills, are inevitably and irreparably harming ecosystems [11; 12; 13]. The main point is continuing to benefit from the advantages that plastic products provide but at the same time stopping or minimizing the environmental damage. Correct management is the first imperative.