In Xinjiang’s vast cotton fields, the autumn harvest yields not only cotton but also significant challenges—including millions of tons of cotton stalks and the ongoing issue of waste mulch film pollution. For years, disposing of this waste efficiently has been a critical obstacle to sustainable farming.

Traditional practices such as crushing and returning stalks to the soil have proven inadequate under Xinjiang’s dry conditions, where slow decomposition interferes with subsequent planting. Meanwhile, waste mulch film mixed with plant debris has been notoriously difficult to recycle economically.

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Now, a groundbreaking solution has emerged—one that transforms both waste streams into valuable, eco-friendly pallets.

A partnership between the Cotton Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Henan ThoYu. has led to the successful implementation of an integrated recycling system in Jinghe County. By deploying advanced shredding, dry separation, and smart automation, the system achieves high-precision separation of cotton stalks and residual film—a vital step in efficient waste mulch film pallet production.

• What happens to the cotton stalks?

The separated stalks, along with other fibrous waste, are converted via compressed pallet machine into plant fiber molded pallets. Each line processes up to 20 tons per day, supporting local circular economy initiatives.

（plant fiber molded pallet front display）

（plant fiber molded pallet back display）

（plant fiber molded pallet detail display）

• And the waste mulch film?

Rather than relying on costly granulation, the film is directly molded into high-quality waste mulch film pallets using ThoYu’s proprietary compression technology. This streamlined approach significantly raises the feasibility of large-scale waste mulch film recycling.

These newly produced waste mulch film pallets offer exceptional durability and are ideal for industrial and logistical use—creating a sustainable alternative to conventional wood or plastic pallets.

Operating at a scale of nearly 100 tons of waste processed daily, the project yields around 100 plastic pallets and 300 stalk-based pallets—demonstrating that agricultural waste can indeed be turned into treasure.

Environmental benefits include a major reduction in white pollution, improved soil health, and lowered carbon footprint. Economically, the model cuts disposal costs and opens new income streams through waste mulch film pallet manufacturing.

The initiative has garnered strong governmental support, attracted national inspection teams, and received coverage by CCTV News.

This innovative approach provides a scalable model for converting agricultural waste, particularly through waste mulch film pallet output, into commercial products—supporting both ecological and economic sustainability beyond Xinjiang.

As technology continues to advance, more regions can adopt this practical, profitable system to address agricultural waste challenges.

If you are exploring solutions for recycling waste mulch film or producing value-added waste mulch film pallets, contact us to learn how our technologies can turn pollution into pallets—and waste into worth.