Polylactide as a Bio-based Alternative

Biodegradable Polyesters, First Edition. Edited by Stoyko Fakirov. 

In some cases, a cradle-to-cradle approach about these renewable polymers (i.e., from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacturing, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and final disposal or recychng) can be addressed by life-cycle assessment (LCA) [8]. 

As driven by the growing demand for durable bioplastics, the recent trend in the market for renewable polymers is to now focus on their implementation into important high-added-value sectors such as the electronics and automotive sectors [9]. This will therefore boost both industrial and economic values of renewable polymers in the context of long-lasting applications. However, the main challenge faced by manufacturers of these renewable polymers is to impart them the same performance and processing characteristics as the existing petropolymers at affordable prices. 

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