ʻO ka polylactic acid (PLA), i ʻike ʻia he polylactide, he polyester aliphatic i hana ʻia e ka polymerization dehydration o ka waikawa lactic i hana ʻia e ka microbial fermentation ma ke ʻano he monomer. Hoʻohana ia i ka biomass hou e like me ke kulina, ke kō, a me ka ʻokiʻoki ma ke ʻano he kumu waiwai, a he nui nā kumu kumu a hiki ke hoʻololi hou ʻia. ʻO ke kaʻina hana o ka polylactic acid he haʻahaʻa-carbon, pili kaiapuni, a emi ʻole ka haumia. Ma hope o ka hoʻohana ʻana, hiki ke hoʻopili ʻia kāna mau huahana a hoʻohaʻahaʻa ʻia e ʻike i ka pōʻai i ke ʻano. Eia kekahi, hoʻohana nui ʻia a he haʻahaʻa haʻahaʻa ka uku ma mua o nā plastic degradable maʻamau e like me PBAT, PBS, a me PHA. No laila, ua lilo ia i mea biodegradable ikaika loa a wikiwiki loa i nā makahiki i hala iho nei.

ʻO ka hoʻomohala ʻana o ka polylactic acid ka mea nui i ka honua. I ka makahiki 2019, ʻo nā noi nui o ka PLA honua i ka ʻeke a me ka papa ʻaina, ka mālama olakino a me ka pilikino, nā huahana kiʻiʻoniʻoni, a me nā mākeke hope ʻē aʻe he 66%, 28%, 2%, a me 3%.

ʻO ka noi mākeke o ka polylactic acid ka mea i hoʻomalu ʻia e ka papa ʻaina disposable a me ka hoʻopili ʻana i ka meaʻai me kahi ola pōkole, a ukali ʻia e ka papa ʻaina semi-durable a i ʻole nā ​​​​mea hoʻohana nui. Kākoʻo nui ʻia nā huahana kiʻi ʻoniʻoni e like me nā ʻeke kūʻai a me ka mulch e ke aupuni, a hiki i ka nui o ka mākeke ke lele nui i ka wā pōkole. Hiki ke piʻi aʻe ka mākeke no nā huahana fiber e like me nā diapers a me nā napkin maʻemaʻe ma lalo o nā koi o nā lula, akā pono kāna ʻenehana composite i kahi holomua. ʻO nā huahana kūikawā, e like me ka paʻi 3D ma ka liʻiliʻi akā kiʻekiʻe ka waiwai hoʻohui, a me nā huahana e koi ana i ka hoʻohana lōʻihi a i ʻole ka wela wela, e like me nā mea uila a me nā mea kaʻa.

Ua manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka nui o ka hana makahiki o ka polylactic acid ma ka honua holoʻokoʻa (koe wale ʻo Kina) ma kahi o 150,000 tons a ʻo ka hopena makahiki ma kahi o 120,000 tons ma mua o 2015. Ma ke ʻano o ka mākeke, mai 2015 a 2020, e ulu wikiwiki ka mākeke polylactic acid honua. i ka huina makahiki ulu ulu ma kahi o 20%, a maikaʻi ka mākeke.
Ma keʻano o nā'āpana'āina,ʻoʻAmelika Hui PūʻIa ka papa hana nui loa o ka polylactic acid, a ma hope o Kina, me ka māhele mākeke hana o 14% ma 2018. Ma keʻano o ka hoʻohana'āina, ke hoʻomau neiʻoʻAmelika Hui PūʻIa i kona kūlana alakaʻi. Ma ka manawa like, ʻo ia hoʻi ka mea kūʻai nui loa ma ka honua. I ka makahiki 2018, ua kūʻai ʻia ka mākeke polylactic acid (PLA) honua ma US $ 659 miliona. E like me ka plastic degradable me ka hana maikaʻi loa. Manaʻo ka poʻe i loko o ka mākeke e pili ana i ka mākeke e hiki mai ana