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Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is an aliphatic polyester made up of lactic acid (2-hydroxy propionic acid) building blocks. It is also a biodegradable and compostable thermoplastic derived from renewable plant sources, such as starch and sugar. Historically, the uses of PLA have been mainly limited to biomedical areas due to its bioabsorbable characteristics. Over the past decade, the discovery of new polymerization routes which allow the economical production of high molecular weight PLA, along with the elevated environmental awareness of the general public, have resulted in an expanded use of PLA for consumer goods and packaging applications. Because PLA is compostable and derived from renewable sources, it has been considered as one of the solutions to alleviate solid waste disposal problems and to lessen the dependence on petroleum-based plastics for packaging materials. Although PLA can be …