Circular Economy
Polylactic Acid (PLA)
A bio-based polyester made from fermented plant sugars, widely used in packaging and 3D printing, but biodegradable only under industrial composting conditions.
Definition
Polylactic acid is a thermoplastic polyester produced by fermenting plant-derived sugars (from corn, sugarcane or cassava) into lactic acid and polymerising it. PLA is bio-based and technically compostable, but it degrades only under the sustained heat of industrial composting facilities — not in home compost, soil or the ocean — and behaves like conventional plastic if it leaks into the environment.
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