What is PLA Plastic?

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Polylactic Acid (PLA): The Environmentally Responsible Plastic

PLA is the talk of the sustainable packaging town. And for good reason, it’s a bioplastic made from renewable, plant-based materials like corn, cassava and sugarcane. This article will dive into PLA bioplastic, how it’s made, the environmental benefits and how it fits into the circular economy.

What Is PLA Bioplastic?

Polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA) is a polyester made from renewable biomass, typically from fermented plant starch like corn, cassava, sugarcane or sugar beet pulp. While the feedstock (raw material) currently doesn’t compete with food production, manufacturers are already investigating the use of non-agricultural feedstocks. 

The environmental and economic advantages of PLA bioplastics over conventional plastics are measurable and significant.

How Is PLA Made?

Let’s get a little technical. PLA is a polyester (polymer containing the ester group) made with two possible monomers or ‘building blocks’: lactic acid and lactide. 

Lactic acid can be produced by the bacterial fermentation of a carbohydrate source under controlled conditions. In this case, the carbohydrate source can be corn starch, cassava roots or sugarcane — making the process sustainable and renewable on an industrial scale. Research is still going to come up with an even more eco-friendly and cost-effective method of producing PLA. 

In addition to using the agricultural produce itself, crop residue like stems, straw, husks and leaves can be processed and used as alternative carbohydrate sources. This means we can make use of agricultural by-products that are left behind after harvesting that would have otherwise been thrown away. Residue that cannot be fermented can be used as a heat source, which can ultimately lessen the use of fossil fuel derived hydrocarbons.

bioplastic PLA production processbioplastic PLA production process

Advantages and Disadvantages of PLA

Advantages of PLA

Industrially Compostable

BioPak PLA is certified industrially compostable to Australian and European Standards (AS4736 and EN13432). This means under commercial composting conditions PLA plastics will breakdown within twelve weeks, making it a more environmental choice than traditional plastics which could take centuries to breakdown into small bits, eventually creating microplastics.

PLA Can Be Recycled 

PLA can be broken down to its original monomer by a thermal depolymerization process or by hydrolysis. The outcome is a monomer solution that can be purified and used for further PLA production without any loss of quality. 

It’s important to note, the recycling infrastructure for PLA hasn’t been scaled up yet, mainly because end markets for the recycled material haven’t been developed. Therefore, recycling PLA might be a viable solution in the future, yet not right now. 

Today, composting is the preferred end-of-life option, especially as foodservice packaging is often contaminated with food scraps, making recycling impractical.

PLA Disadvantages

There are plenty of advantages to PLA. It’s a viable solution right now and there are improvements to the technology in the pipeline. But there are some disadvantages, too. 

Environmental Impact on Land and Water 

Growing crops and using fertiliser can impact our land and waterways (although in 2019, bioplastics represented  0.016% of total land use and 2024 projection is 0.021% — source). 

Can Be More Expensive

PLA plastic packaging can be more expensive than its conventional plastic counterparts due to the number of steps required in the production process. However, as PLA becomes more widely available, the efficiencies of scale come into play which means the cost may decrease.

Compostability Considerations

PLA bioplastic is certified commercially compostable (AS4736) but not certified home compostable (AS5810). In saying that, as technology evolves we hope to see bioplastic transform into a fully home compostable resource. NatureWorks (world-leading biopolymers supplier) is getting close to a breakthrough with the incorporation of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) with PLA.

PLA vs PET

When we compare PLA bioplastic to conventional plastic, the benefits are significant. PLA bioplastic is made from rapidly renewable plant starch, where as virgin PET plastic is mostly made using limited fossil resources. PLA bioplastic is certified industrially compostable (AS4736, EN13432), where as PET is recyclable.

An infographic comparing PLA to PET. PLA is made from rapidly renewable plant-based resources like tapioca and corn, where as PET is made from finite fossil resources. These resources are limited and their extraction can damage and pollute the environmentAn infographic comparing PLA to PET. PLA is made from rapidly renewable plant-based resources like tapioca and corn, where as PET is made from finite fossil resources. These resources are limited and their extraction can damage and pollute the environment

PLA Plastic: From Plants to Soil, a Truly Circular Option

So, how is PLA bioplastic contributing to the circular economy?

NatureWorks logo, light blue text reading NatureWorks LLC.NatureWorks logo, light blue text reading NatureWorks LLC.

In 2018, leading PLA manufacturer, NatureWorks, partnered with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to support the New Plastics Economy initiative. This focuses on applying circular economy principles to global plastics packaging. With that, Ingeo bioplastic will support the circular economy in three main ways (source). 

  • Decoupling plastics from fossil feedstocks

    Ingeo plastic doesn’t depend on petroleum or other fossil fuels. Instead, it’s made from renewable resources like plants. 

  • Reducing plastic leakage

    BioPak is committed to helping create the right infrastructure for waste to be collected so plastic isn’t leaked into our natural systems.

At BioPak, our PLA plastic is certified industrially compostable to Australian and European Standards (AS4736 and EN13432). This means under commercial composting conditions PLA plastics will breakdown within twelve weeks, making it a truly circular option. To ensure your compostable packaging ends up in the right place, discover Compost Connect, our not-for-profit service connecting businesses to composting facilities.


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