HAAKSBERGEN –The fundamental characteristics of polylactic acid (PLA), the biobased polymer made entirely from fermented plant sugars, and the hydrolysis process indicate that PLA does not produce persistent microplastics, new research suggests.
The paper from research laboratory Hydra Marine Sciences, shows that unlike non-biodegradable polymers, which will persist and permanently accumulate as nano- or microplastics in the environment, PLA will hydrolyze into molecules of ever-smaller size, becoming soluble in water and eventually fully biodegraded.