Plastic　mulching　is　widely　used　in　croplands　to　improve　yields,　while　its　mismanagement　leads　to　plastic　pollution　in　rural　areas.　China　has　explored　different　approaches　to　manage　post-use　plastic　mulching,　while　there　is　still　inadequate　research　regarding　their　corresponding　environmental　impacts.　This　study　establishes　five　plastic　mulching　management　scenarios,　i.e.,　plastic　mulching　disposed　of　in　nature,　substituting　biode-gradable　plastic,　recycling,　incineration,　and　landfilling,　and　maize　cultivation　in　rural　areas　of　northern　China　was　taken　as　the　studied　case.　We　determine　the　comprehensive　environmental　impacts　through　a　life　cycle　assessment　(LCA)　approach　and　completed　a　field　investigation　to　obtain　local　datasets.　The　impurity　content　of　used　polyethylene　mulching　(PEM),　an　essential　parameter　for　the　entire　life-cycle　environmental　impact　assessment,　is　80.1%　+/-　9.5%,　examined　by　on-site　sampling　and　scanning　electron　microscope.　Results　show　that:　1)　the　use　of　biodegradable　mulching　(BM)　instead　of　traditional　PEM　reduces　carbon　emissions　by　22.6%;　2)　the　increment　of　soil　carbon　flux　caused　in　the　application　stage　is　more　significant　than　that　in　the　post-use　stage;　3)　incineration　of　post-use　mulch　causes　relatively　significant　photochemical　oxidant　formation　effect;　furthermore,　recycling　of　plastic　mulching　leads　to　negative　impacts　in　terms　of　human　toxicity　effect,　meanwhile　the　positive　environmental　impact　of　fossil　depletion　effect　is　2.3　times　higher　than　that　of　incineration.　Reducing　the　rate　of　impurity　content　in　wasted　plastic　mulching　can　reduce　transportation　costs　and　promote　sustainable　plastic　pollution　management　in　rural　areas.