Compostable plastics price

Today, there are products that satisfy the technical requirements and have an acceptable market price. One commercial success story is represented by Mater-bi , a plastic material based on TPS and other polymers that is very versatile and suitable for applications such as composting bags, mulch film, disposable cutlery, etc. However, due to the complexity of its production, its cost is higher than conventional polyethylene or polypropylene, and it is generally sold for applications where biodegradability is mandatory. 

A continuous increase in oil prices and environmental concerns about the use of common petroleum-based plastics have recently led to a growing interest in bio-based plastics. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA), a plastic derived from fermented plant starch, is fast becoming one of the popular alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics. Even though PLA has been known for more than a century, it has only been used commercially in recent years in a number of biocompatible/ bioabsorbable biomedical device market, packaging applications, and so on. A number of factors contribute to the success of PLA in these applications, including its physical properties as well as favorable compostable and degradation characteristics [1]. 

In general, the price diEFetence between compostable pofymers and standard plastic has decreased in last decade. It concerns, especially pofymers based on renewable resources, e.g. polylactic acid. 

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