Poly(L-Lactide) (PLA), a fully biobased aliphatic polyester, constitutes around 30% of global production of biobased and/or biodegradable plastics.

It has attracted significant attention in the last decade due to its exceptional properties, such as high tensile strength, biocompatibility, (bio)degradability in various media, easy recyclability and good melt-state processability by the conventional processes of the plastic/textile industry. PLA has a number of applications, such as packaging and controlled release matrices for fertilisers and pesticides. 

This paper looks at how blending PLA with other polymers can improve its shortcomings.