Polylactic acid, or PLA, a bioplastic produced from renewable sources such as sugar cane and corn, deserves to be considered a “proven, practical, and circular alternative to conventional plastics“, TotalEnergies Corbion CEO Thomas Philipon has commented.
Philipon’s comments coincided with the current session of the UN’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2), taking place in Geneva, which will see to finalise a global plastics treaty.
‘Solutions already exist’
“Amidst the debates over bans and recycling targets, one critical point must not be overlooked: solutions already exist – and they’re ready to scale,” he commented. “If we are serious about reducing plastic pollution while supporting sustainable development, PLA must be recognised as part of the global solution.”
As Philipon noted in a recent interview with SustainabilityOnline, PLA is already in widespread commercial use and has been adopted by a number of sectors, including food packaging, medical devices, and 3D printing.
Lower emissions
Recent third-party verified LCA data, gathered from TotalEnergies Corbion’s production facility in Thailand, indicates that PLA offers up to 85% lower carbon emissions – because it is made from organic materials, it stores biogenic carbon, rather than releasing it into the atmosphere.
“The biggest environmental solutions fail if they are too expensive or too complex to implement,” Philipon commented. “That’s where PLA shines. Industrial composting, one of its key end-of-life pathways, is affordable and scalable. Building a composting facility can cost up to eight times less than building a plastic recycling plant. These facilities are also easier to manage and maintain – making them ideal for regions without sophisticated waste infrastructure.”
Raw materials
He added that the raw materials for PLA are “widely available”, including in many developing markets, “meaning that countries around the world can produce it domestically, provided there’s investment in skills and policy frameworks. And with only 0.001% of global agricultural land currently used for PLA, its expansion can happen without threatening food security.”
While acknowledging PLA is not a complete solution to plastic pollution – “it is not a silver bullet” – Philipon believes it is an essential tool in the circular economy toolbox, and one that can help both countries and businesses “leapfrog to more sustainable systems” without relying on lengthy infrastructure development.
“If the Global Plastics Treaty truly aims to be equitable, science-based, and future-ready, then PLA must be part of that vision,” he said. “Not just because it’s low carbon. Not just because it’s compostable or recyclable. But because it works—now—and it works across geographies, incomes, and industries.” Read more here.
