Corn-based plastic

Polylactic acid (PLA), a plastic substitute made from fermented plant starch (usually corn), is quickly becoming a popular alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics.

Polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA) is a biodegradable, thermoplastic, aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources, such as corn starch (in the U.S.) or sugarcanes (rest of world).


NatureWorks LLC (formerly Cargill, Inc.) is the main source for PLA corn-resin pellets 

• EarthTalk: How green is corn-based plastic? 
• Wikipedia: Polylactic acid

use bacteria to turn corn into biodegradable plastics.

Article Here - One word: bioplastics

At a new plant in Iowa, Metabolix will use bacteria to turn corn into biodegradable plastics.

A gene from the bacterium R. eutropha, turned out to code for an enzyme that allows bacteria to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA),a naturally occurring form of polyester

(Bacteria normally manufacture PHA as a way to store carbon and energy.)

bioplastics have been commercially available for about a decade, mostly in the form of plastic cups, bottles and food packaging. Most of those products are made from a type of plastic called polylactic acid (PLA), which is also produced from corn. PLA is similar to PHA, but PHA has higher heat resistance


Metabolix: Bio-industrial Evolution
"Working to create a new generation of highly versatile, sustainable, environmentally-friendly plastics and chemicals."