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Writer's pictureJason Angle

The Bamboo Press 7: What is PLA? Is it Biodegradable?

Updated: May 11, 2023


PLA is very useful for medical applications, but it is not naturally biodegradable. Therefore, PLA should not be used as a substitute for single-use plastics.
Finished PLA

Recently, The Bamboo Press listed and hashed out Lastic Bamboo Resin's intrinsic advantages. Lastic is the only manufacturer of the cost-effective Lastic Bamboo Resin. Most importantly, Lastic Bamboo Resin holds home, garden, and industrial compost certifications. These certifications confirm that Lastic Bamboo Resin biodegrades in no more than 253 days. Finally, the US FDA and European CE deem Lastic Bamboo Resin safe for food contact.


Besides Lastic Bamboo Resin, a few other plastic replacements are available. One popular plastic alternative is PLA (poly-lactic acid). So why are some producers choosing to use PLA? Is PLA biodegradable and compostable?


On the molecular level, PLA differs significantly from petroleum-based polymers. Like bio-based PBS, PLA's makers use corn starch or sugar cane as their base ingredients. Thus, PLA contains no fossil fuel traces and is ultimately non-toxic.


Manufacturers use PLA for various consumer applications, such as straws, lids, utensils, cosmetics packaging, and food boxes. Additionally, 3D printing professionals prefer using PLA as the "cement" for their end products. Other wildly innovative applications bank on PLA's non-toxicity. These include medical applications, like screws, plates, and sutures. Remarkably, PLA medical parts have a sharper-than-a-surgeon's-scalpel cutting edge. PLA medical applications eventually dissolve harmlessly in the human body.


PLA dissolves efficiently in the human body due to its constant temperature and conditions. Because healthy human bodies maintain a steady 37°C (98.6°F), they're extraordinary PLA processing "factories." Moreover, the body's constant pH level and complex metabolic abilities aid in decomposing PLA. But unfortunately, the earth's external environment can't perfectly replicate the human body's ability to expunge PLA.


To ensure PLA waste fully biodegrades, processors must use large, industrial-grade crucibles. If PLA isn't processed using this machinery, it doesn't go anywhere. Improperly disposed of PLA only adds to the current plastic pollution problem, threatening wildlife and the planet's health.


PLA also has application limitations. A major drawback is that PLA begins to soften at a relatively low 60°C, making it less than ideal for products that encounter heat. For example, hot-drink straws, cups, lids, and anything that gets put in a microwave all lose functionality after heat exposure.


While PLA's medical applications have significantly bolstered health science, PLA lacks the hallmarks of a highly functional and biodegradable polymer substitute. This is because PLA requires a strictly controlled environment for optimal decomposition and degrades with rising heat. Therefore, PLA is not ideal for making straws, utensil, lids, cups, and food boxes.


Lastic Bamboo Resin is 100% biodegradable (under any condition) and 100% compostable. Contact Island Leaf Commodities for more reasons why Lastic Bamboo Resin is the future's plastic substitute.

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