A Review of Plastic Contamination Challenges and Mitigation Efforts in Cotton and Textile Milling Industries

Plastic contamination is a topical issue in the cotton and textile industries. These plastic contaminants come from diverse sources, including agricultural mulch films, improperly disposed plastic trash near cotton fields, and importantly, the plastic wraps used to cover cylindrical modules built by John Deere’s onboard module builder harvesters. When these different plastic materials end up in the cotton lint bales, the value of the bale to the textile mills plummets significantly. To that end, there has been a concerted effort by the two major industries by this issue to find lasting solutions to the menace posed to their profitability by plastic. In this review article, the subject of plastic contamination within these industries is first put into perspective. Thereafter, the cotton value chain is subdivided into different phases from pre-cultivation to textile mills. The root causes of plastic contamination in each of the phases are then analyzed, followed by discussions of the select solutions that have been developed or are being developed in response to the challenge by the industry and researchers. Finally, from the author’s perspective, brief projections for the future direction of plastic mitigation efforts within the cotton and textile industries are presented. This review is envisaged to serve as a useful reference for new hands starting their research career in cotton- and textile-related industries, as well as practicing professionals needing to keep abreast of developments in the industry.