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Polylactide acid (PLA) is a transparent plastic made from natural resources. It not only resembles conventional petrochemical mass plastics (like PE or PP) in its characteristics, but it can also be processed easily on standard equipment that already exists for the production of conventional plastics. PLA and PLA-Blends generally come in the form of granulates with various properties and are used in the plastic processing industry for the production of foil, moulds, tins, cups, bottles and other packaging.

PLA plastics are especially suited for short-lived packaging foil and deep-drawn products (for example drinking or yoghurt cups, fruit, vegetable and meat packaging containers). Experts recognise great potential for PLA in this area.15 million tons of transparent plastics were used worldwide in 2001, and the trend is increasing.

In pharmaceutical and medical spheres, PLA and PLA copolymer plastics have already been in use successfully for quite some time for the production of screws, nails, plates and implants that can be resorbed by the body. In addition, suture material and agent depots made of absorbable PLA are common bioplastic products. 

PLA has a range of characteristics and is therefore a very versatile bioplastic.  It can be designed to biodegrade quickly or last for years, depending on the composition and quality. Additionally, PLA possesses an extraordinary stability, as well as an extremely high transparency. Its thermoplastic nature enables efficient and straightforward processing on conventional machines.

However, PLA also has disadvantages. The plastic softens at a temperature of about 60 degrees Celsius, which limits its suitability for the production of cups for hot drinks. Yet copolymerisation with heat resistant polymers and the addition of fillers can result in greater heat stability.

PLA that is produced from glucose is deemed to be extremely cost-efficient and is therefore even more viable as an alternative to mass plastics. The world’s first large PLA production plant was put into operation in 2002 in the United States with an annual capacity of 140,000 tons.

(Sources: FNR, European Bioplastics)

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