What is PLA Plastic?
PLA stands for Polylactic Acid. Made from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugar cane. Today’s market is increasingly moving toward biodegradable and eco-friendly products made from renewable resources.
In a controlled environment PLA will naturally break down, returning to the earth, and so it can be classified as a biodegradable and compostable material.
What is PLA mainly used for packaging ?
If your businesses currently uses any of the following items and you’re passionate about sustainability and reducing your business’s carbon footprint, then PLA packaging is an excellent option:
☆ cups (cold cups)
☆ deli containers
☆ cutlery
☆ salad bowls
☆ straws
What is the benefits for PLA
☆ Comparable to PET plastics – More than 95% of the world’s plastics are created from natural gas or crude oil. Fossil fuel-based plastics are not only hazardous; they’re also a finite resource. PLA products present a functional, renewable, and comparable replacement.
☆ Bio-based – A bio-based product’s materials are derived from renewable agriculture or plants. Because all PLA products come from sugar starches, polylactic acid is considered bio-based.
☆ Biodegradable – PLA products achieve international standards for biodegradation, naturally degrading rather than piling up in landfills. It does require certain conditions to degrade quickly. In an industrial composting facility, it can break down in 45–90 days.
☆ Doesn’t emit toxic fumes – Unlike other plastics, bioplastics don’t emit any toxic fumes when they’re incinerated.
☆ Thermoplastic – PLA is a thermoplastic, so it’s moldable and malleable when heated to its melting temperature. It can be solidified and injection-molded into various forms making it a terrific option for food packaging and 3D printing.
☆ FDA-approved – Polylactic acid is approved by the FDA as a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) polymer and is safe for food contact.
