ABSTRACT
In the post-petroleum era, plastic products will be made primarily from plants instead of fossil fuels. These bioplastics use plants as their raw materials rather than the fossil fuels ordinary plastic is derived from. The most common bioplastic today is PLA (polylactic acid,) a biobased polymer made from plant sugars used to produce clear plastic water bottles, cups, and clamshell containers. Bioplastics offer several advantages over petroleum-based plastics: they biodegrade much faster, may contain fewer toxins, and have a smaller carbon footprint. PLA production, for example, uses 30 to 50 percent less fossil fuel and generates 50 to 70 percent less carbon dioxide than petroleum-based plastic. 1
