Estimation Methodology for Selected Agricultural Plastic Waste Streams to Support Sustainable Waste Management: Refinement with Real-World Industry Stakeholder Data in France

Agricultural plastics are essential in modern farming but generate substantial quantities of agricultural plastic waste (APW), requiring efficient management. This study evaluated a two-stage framework for estimating and mapping selected APW streams to support sustainable waste management across France’s 18 administrative regions using a Geographic Information System (GIS). Plastic Waste Indices (PWIs), originally developed for the Italian context, were first applied to French agricultural data and were subsequently refined using French-specific information and technical knowledge provided by Le Comité de la Plasticulture et de l’Agroenvironnement (CPA) and Agriculteurs, Distributeurs, Industriels pour la VALORisation des déchets agricoles (ADIVALOR). However, the extent to which PWIs developed in one national agricultural context can be directly transferred to another remains uncertain. The refinement integrated marketed quantities, regional distribution indicators, soilage coefficients, product lifetimes, and knowledge of French collection schemes. An estimated 89,467 tons yr−1 of APW were generated, with silage films constituting the dominant waste stream (51.3%), followed by plastic bags, mulching films, and agrochemical containers. Spatial analysis identified Occitanie, Bretagne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Pays de la Loire, and Grand Est as major hotspots. Direct application of the original Italian PWIs yielded approximately 73,750 tons yr−1, whereas the French-refined estimate was approximately 21.3% higher. The divergence was primarily attributable to silage-related plastics. The results demonstrate that the PWI framework can provide a transferable methodological basis, whereas individual coefficients and allocation assumptions require country-specific assessment and refinement. This approach may provide a basis for comparable applications in other European agricultural contexts. The resulting maps provide screening-level spatial information that can support subsequent regional waste management assessments.