PLA plastic is a plastic material made from biomass. It is a material from renewable sources and as such is not dependent on oil and its additives.
At first glance and to the touch, it looks and feels the same as commonly used petroleum-based plastics. It even achieves the same properties (elasticity, hardness, transparency, flexibility, and resistance). However, it differs from classic plastics in one important aspect. It can be biologically degraded, composted, and transformed into high-quality biomass or humus, which means it does not represent an ecological burden.
The basic raw material for its production is plant biomass, e.g., corn, cereals, potatoes, sugar beet, sugar cane, soy, tobacco, etc., and natural raw materials such as cellulose and lignite. Bioplastic is produced from the starch of these plants. In order to transform starch into a substance with properties corresponding to those of petroleum plastics, it is necessary to expose it to high temperatures and extract glucose from it using isolation. By fermentation, lactic acid, and later polylactic acid (PLA), is obtained from glucose.
PLA plastics are a lot more environmentally friendly compared to conventional plastics. Thanks to their degradability, they break down in the environment in a relatively short time and thus do not pollute the world's ecosystems such as rivers, seas, and oceans. PLA plastics are also very resistant to breakage, heat, water, and sunlight, taste neutral, and are harmless to health. They are suitable for people suffering from allergies, asthmatics, small and teenage children, as well as breastfeeding and pregnant women. PLA plastics do not harm animals either.