5. Applications and examples
5.1 Food products
Today, PLAs are mainly used for food applications.
Food packaging: thermoformed trays, foamed or not, and plastic films. This type of packaging can be found partly in supermarkets and partly in fast-food outlets, mainly for foods with a short shelf life. PLA's low water barrier limits its use as shelf-stable packaging. PLA can also be used as an intermediate layer in multilayer products, or in blends with other polymers.
For example, the Danone group now uses PLA for the production of yoghurt pots, notably in Germany and the United States.
Cups: PLA is used to produce disposable cups. These can be collected after use, notably for events (e.g. festivals)...
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Ageing – Degradation and stability
Bibliography
- (1) - E. B. &. N. Institute - « http://www.european-bioplastics.org » [En ligne] (décembre 2016).
- (2) - Natureworks - « Innovation Takesroot Conference »....
Websites
Bioplastics magazine – Reference magazine for biopolymers
http://www.bioplasticsmagazine.com (page consulted on February 27, 2017)
Events
Biannual conference organized by Natureworks – Innovation takes root.
http://www.innovationtakesroot.com
Biannual conference – PLA world congress.
http://www.bioplasticsmagazine.com/en/events/4plaworldcongress
...Standards and norms
- Evaluation of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials under controlled composting conditions – Method by analysis of released carbon dioxide. - ISO 14855 -
- Packaging – Requirements for packaging recoverable by composting and biodegradation – Test program and assessment criteria for final acceptance of packaging. - EN 13432 -
- Plastics – Specifications for plastics suitable for home composting....
Directory
PLA producers
Natureworks (United States)
Zhejiang Hisun Biomaterials Co. LTD (China)
Synbra Holding BV (Netherlands)
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