One of the most comprehensively defined bioderived polymers, in terms of their chemical, physical, biological and degradation properties, is polylactic acid (PLA).
PLA is compostable and made from corn or sugar which is fermented to produce lactic acid and, through a series of chemical transformations, is converted to its polymer.
It is the most extensively used fossil-fuel plastic replacement, in part thanks to its versatile properties enabling its wide-ranging applications.
