Luminy® PLA is compostable
Industrially compostable bioplastics for a circular economy
Products Compostable
Industrially compostable Luminy® PLA for a greener future
Compostable bioplastics like Luminy® PLA offer sustainable alternatives to regular plastics. Unlike conventional plastics, which resist biological degradation, biodegradable bioplastics made from polylactic acid (PLA) polymers can break down naturally in composting environments. These bioplastics combine strength and resilience, allowing them to effectively replace conventional plastics in many applications.
The composting process of Luminy® PLA occurs in two stages. First, heat, humidity, and fungi cause the material to disintegrate and fragment. Then, bacteria and fungi consume these fragments as a source of energy, fully biodegrading them into CO₂, water, and biomass. This natural process supports a circular economy, turning waste into valuable resources while reducing the environmental impact of plastic waste.
The circularity of biobased, compostable Luminy® PLA bioplastics
Understanding the circular economy potential of biobased, compostable Luminy® PLA is crucial for making sustainable choices and enhancing environmental protection.
As climate change and environmental concerns take center stage globally, the plastic industry faces mounting pressure to improve material recycling and boost plastic circularity. Luminy® PLA offers a circular end-of-life solution through industrial composting, setting it apart from traditional plastics.
While compostable bioplastics offer substantial benefits, the potential of biowaste collection and recycling remains largely untapped. In the EU27+, only 16% of the theoretical potential for food waste capture is met, despite food waste being a valuable resource for compostable PLA production. Without proper treatment, this waste often ends up in landfills or incineration, releasing harmful methane—a potent greenhouse gas.
Unlike fossil-based plastics, which are costly and difficult to recycle when contaminated, compostable PLA can be organically recycled alongside food waste. This significantly reduces methane emissions and prevents plastic contamination in the food waste stream. In products like tea bags, coffee capsules, and food packaging, compostable PLA plastics create a synergy—transforming organic waste into valuable compost and keeping traditional plastics out of our soils.
Industrial composting: A key to our sustainable future
To meet climate neutrality targets, we need both innovative materials and improved waste management practices. Luminy® PLA, a biobased material, is a key solution—functional, easy to implement in existing production lines, and industrially compostable.
Composting plays a vital role in building a greener future. By returning carbon captured during plant growth to the soil, composting enriches it naturally without the need for chemical fertilizers. This process also reduces carbon emissions, as biowaste composting produces far fewer greenhouse gases (like CO₂ and CH₄) compared to landfilling.
Industrially compostable bioplastics provide a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, especially in applications where contamination with organic waste makes recycling difficult. Products like tea bags, coffee capsules, and biowaste collection bags are perfect examples of where compostable PLA solutions excel.
By choosing certified compostable bioplastic packaging, consumers can dispose of packaging along with organic waste in the biowaste bin. This reduces landfilling, avoids incineration, and prevents contamination of the biowaste stream with non-compostable plastics, driving a circular economy and supporting waste reduction efforts.
When does compostable make the most sense?
Are you considering using compostable materials in your products or packaging?What are the key criteria to take into account when deciding if compostable is the right choice?
Discover the Compostable by Design Guidelines!
Discover the Guidelines
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Luminy® PLA is fully recyclable through both mechanical and advanced recycling (depolymerization) methods.
We actively work with customers to create closed-loop systems, collecting and recycling PLA products from events, hotels, sports competitions, and post-industrial waste streams. Recycled Luminy® PLA grades (rPLA) are also available with 20%, 30%, and 100% allocated recycled content.
Thanks to progressions in Near Infrared (NIR) technology, density separation, AI, and robotics systems in waste management, PLA can be easily separated from other types of polymers on the sorting line, including, among others, PET, PS, and HDPE. Purities of 97% have been obtained using NIR sorting of PLA, higher than most traditional plastics.*
*Technical quality of rPET. Technical quality of rPET that can be obtained from Dutch PET bottles that have been collected, sorted, and mechanically recycled, Wageningen University & Research (2016) https://edepot.wur.nl/392306
TotalEnergies Corbion takes the challenge of plastic pollution—on land and in waterways—extremely seriously. While the most effective long‑term solutions depend on smarter product design, better consumer education, and well‑functioning waste‑management systems, the compostability and biodegradability of Luminy® PLA can provide meaningful support.
A recent meta‑study by HYDRA Marine Sciences shows that, due to its inherent material characteristics—specifically its hydrolysis‑driven degradation process—PLA does not form persistent microplastics when it ends up in the environment. Unlike conventional, non‑biodegradable plastics that accumulate indefinitely as micro‑ and nanoplastics, PLA breaks down when exposed to moisture and water, preventing long‑lasting pollution.
No material should ever be released into the environment, and no certification should be seen as a license to litter. However, the same properties that make PLA compostable also ensure that, if it does escape waste‑management systems, its long‑term environmental impact is significantly lower than that of traditional plastics.
Read the Meta-Study on the environmental fate of PLA: https://www.hydramarinesciences.com/news-harris/meta-study-on-environmental-fate-of-pla
Throughout our communications, unless otherwise specified, the terms ‘biobased’ and ‘compostable’ or ‘biodegradable’ refer to EN16785-1 and EN13432 standards respectively.
Luminy® PLA is made from sugarcane, an annually renewable resource, while conventional plastics are made from non-renewable resources like oil and gas. The use of biobased materials is important for conserving our resources
The global warming potential of Luminy® PLA is also significantly lower than conventional polastics like PET, PE, and PP.
According to a recent study by Chaire CoPack, in partnership with AgroParisTech and the University of Montpellier, the certified EN13432 compostable bioplastics, including Luminy® PLA, fully biodegrade in industrial composting facilities. The study also found that the bioplastics positively affected the composting yield, did not have any negative consequences on the agronomic quality of the final compost, and did not generate ecotoxicity to higher plants, earthworms, and daphnia.
According to a recent meta-study by HYDRA Marine Sciences, commissioned by Holland Bioplastics, PLA fully hydrolyzes in water or humid conditions, leaving no persistent nano- or microplastics behind. This confirms PLA as an environmentally responsible material that does not contribute to long-term plastic pollution.
TotalEnergies Corbion sources its sugarcane through Corbion, which works directly with farmers in Thailand. These farmers must adhere to the Corbion Sugarcane Code—a rigorous set of standards that we helped develop to ensure ethical business practices, human and labor rights, and environmental protection. Luminy® PLA made with sugar certified by Bonsucro is also available upon request.
As a joint venture, we have access to the expertise and resources of both TotalEnergies and Corbion, strengthening our commitment to responsible sourcing.
Read more at: www.corbion.com/Sustainability/Preserving-what-matters/Responsible-sourcing
Producing 1 kg of Luminy® PLA requires 1.75 m² of land and 0.6 m³ of water, the majority of which comes from rainfall. The sugarcane used for Luminy® PLA is grown in regions with minimal water stress and occupies only 0.8% of Thailand’s arable land annually.
We believe in transparency and understanding our impact. Today, the entire bioplastics industry uses just 0.0015% of global arable land. Even if all plastics were replaced with Luminy® PLA, it would require only 1.23% of global arable land—small enough to not compete with food supply.
While land use is always a factor we consider, we believe the benefits are significant: a 75% lower carbon footprint than conventional plastics and 1.83 kg of CO₂ absorbed by the sugarcane for every kilogram of Luminy® PLA produced. It’s a step toward a more sustainable future.
