BIOCOR To Buy Post-Consumer PLA
By Canadian Packaging Staff
Sustainability BIOCOR Bioplastic Post-consumerBIOCOR LLC, based in Concord, CA, has announced its launch as a new venture in the business of buying, aggregating, and processing post-consumer Polylactic acid (PLA), the 100 per cent plant-based bioplastic, seeing broad and growing interest in a variety of plastics markets.
The company 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.
Mike Centers, executive director at BIOCOR says it 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.
Along with providing recyclers with a market for post-consumer PLA, BIOCOR will collaborate on PLA recycling pilot projects and work with U.S. 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,” states 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. I believe the economics of selling recycled PLA to a variety of lactic acid end markets are compelling. The BIOCOR business will conserve nonrenewable resources, lower carbon emissions, and reduce packaging waste.”
Unlike most petroleum-based plastics today, 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. 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.
For more information, or to discuss the sale of recovered PLA, contact Mike Centers at 1-888-9BIOCOR or visit www.BIOCOR.org.
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