German China
PLA plastic (left piece) usually takes months to break down in industrial composting facilities, but incorporating a sprinkling of an organic additive dramatically speeds the process for a modified PLA plastic (right piece) to less than three weeks.
 (Source: Jinsol Yook)
Augmented PLA

Tiny Additive Has Big Impact on Compostability of Bioplastic

A trace additive could significantly improve the compostability of PLA. Researchers have modified the bioplastic so that it degrades faster under industrial composting conditions without losing strength or transparency. The findings could broaden the use of PLA in packaging, although further testing is needed before home composting becomes a reliable option.

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