Polylactic acid is a biodegradable, thermoplastic, aliphatic polyester that is primarily manufactured commercially in the USA and Japan. It has been made into numerous consumer items such as disposable dishware, packaging and even clothes. The primary raw material used to produce polylactic acid is corn. After the corn is grown it is harvested and delivered to the factory. The corn is processed into starch which is then converted to sugar. The sugar is fermented by bacteria to form lactic acid. However, lactic acid cannot be directly polymerized to a useful product; therefore, it must first be converted into polylactic acid. The polylactic acid is blended with different starches and then shaped to form a variety of products.
