New business buys post-consumer PLA for use in packaging
2010-03-18
BIOCOR LLC announces its launch as a new venture in the business of buying, aggregating, and processing post-consumer Polylactic acid (PLA), the 100 percent plant based bioplastic, seeing broad and growing interest in a variety of plastics markets. BIOCOR will capitalize on the ease with which PLA can be converted back to its original lactic acid feedstock for subsequent use in a variety of existing end markets.
“Greater sustainability in plastic packaging depends on decreasing the carbon footprint of the plastics used and on recapturing and re-using a greater percentage of post-consumer packaging”
BIOCOR Executive Director Mike Centers explains that BIOCOR will pay recyclers an economically attractive price for PLA in any packaging format and work with recyclers to achieve efficient separation of post-consumer PLA from other plastics. BIOCOR provides recyclers with a market for any post-consumer PLA they process. BIOCOR will also collaborate on PLA recycling pilot projects and work with federal, state, and municipal entities, non-governmental organizations, consumer groups, and recycling organizations.
“Greater sustainability in plastic packaging depends on decreasing the carbon footprint of the plastics used and on recapturing and re-using a greater percentage of post-consumer packaging,” said Centers. “Plastics made from renewable plant sources such as PLA, which is 100 percent bio-based, offer a means to achieve these goals. I’ve joined BIOCOR LLC with the intent of making a business out of buying the post-consumer PLA already out there in the market …”
According to the company, bioplastics such as PLA offer multiple end-of-life scenarios. For example, PLA offers a true “cradle-to-cradle” end-of-life option whereby PLA can be completely converted back into its fundamental building block, lactic acid, and then reformulated into a biopolymer says BIOCORE. PLA can also be commercially composted and used for soil enrichment. BIOCORE’s primary focus is on supplying recycled PLA to those interested in lactic acid uses.
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