This proposal refers to the substitution of non-biodegradable trellising materials and the use of biodegradable mulching films in protected horticultural crops. The impact of plastic pollution due to intensive agriculture in El Ejido will be studied with emphasis on the substitution of conventional plastics by bioplastics. The presence of plastics in the biota of protected areas in the area of greenhouses will be assessed, paying attention to the transfer to plastic debris through the trophic chain. The effect of plastic and bioplastics to soil biota and microbiota will also be assessed, and the role of plastics as a potential source of chemical contaminants studied, including the potential bioaccumulation of plastic-derived chemicals in plant tissues and their transfer to the consumer through diet. The translocation of plastics and additives via water and air to the open environment will be evaluated as well as the possible role of plastics as vector of pathogens and antimicrobial resistances.