Bioplastic Industry Research Articles

Fuzzy-stochastic distributional robust approach for microalgae-based bio-plastic supply chain with new sustainability aspects

The current study offers a sustainable supply chain model that can be used to identify opportunities and constraints for the future of the microalgae-based bio-diesel and bio-plastic industry. The network’s carbon emissions are restricted by an uncertain constraint that allows for flexibility in controlling emissions as needed. The social constraints of the model provides a transparent depiction of labour needs in dynamic business landscape and foster women’s empowerment through a preference coefficient. The proposed model introduces a new upside risk measures under fuzzy-stochastic setting to quantify the upward financial risk. To characterize and manage the model uncertainty, a fuzzy-stochastic distributional robust model is presented. Credibility distribution is utilized to handle fuzzy uncertainty, while box and polyhedral uncertainty sets are included to handle stochastic uncertainty. After that, tractable deterministic formulations of the uncertain model for two ambiguity sets are presented to solve the model. Finally, a number of insights are obtained by means of five test problems that are implemented in Python and resolved by one exact and five meta-heuristic algorithms. Experiments indicate that, when faced with uncertainty, two robust models have produced more stable solutions (16.23% and 19.67% higher stability, respectively) than nominal stochastic model. Further, a 4.68% decline in total cost and 3.27% increment in bio-diesel production can be achieved by increasing bio-diesel conversion rate to 10%. In addition, a 9.09% downturn in total cost and 10.44% rise in bio-plastic production can be obtained by 10% increment in bio-plastic conversion rate. Moreover, 45.38% more woman labours can be recruited by increasing the preference coefficient from −0.2 to +0.2.

Production of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) by Bacillus megaterium LVN01 Using Biogas Digestate

The Bacillus megaterium LVN01 species native to Colombia has demonstrated the ability to metabolize different coproducts or industrial waste (such as fique juice, cane molasses, and residual glycerol) and accumulate polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), giving it potential in the bioplastics industry. In this research, the potential of liquid digestate as a carbon source for the production of PHA polymers in fermentation processes with this bacterial strain was evaluated. Favorably, it was found that B. megaterium utilizes the nutrients from this residual substrate to multiply appropriately and efficiently synthesize poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV). Bench-scale aerobic batch fermentation, under the operational conditions of this research [volume: 3 L; temperature: 30.8 °C; agitation: 400 rpm; pH: 7.0 ± 0.2; dissolved oxygen: 100% saturation; antifoam: 10% (v/v)], generated maximum values of dry cell weight (DCW) (0.56 g cell L−1) at 60 h, while the maximum PHBV yield (360 mg PHBV L−1) occurred at 16 h, which is very favorable for sustainable degradable bioplastics production. Additionally, GC–MS and NMR analyses confirmed that the PHBV copolymer synthesized by B. megaterium is made up of the monomers 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV). Furthermore, the thermal properties determined by TGA (Tonset = 283.1 °C; Tendset = 296.98 °C; Td = 290.114 °C) and DSC (Tm = °C 155.7 °C; ΔHf = 19.80 J g−1; Xcr = 18.17%) indicate that it is a thermally stable biopolymer with low percentages of crystallinity, providing flexibility that facilitates molding, adaptation, and application in various industrial sectors.

Enabling factors and critical extensions for the algal-based bioplastics industry

Emerging industries and technologies are made up of objective, practical requirements and ideas that encompass broad hopes for what future newness might enable. The bioeconomy is one such emerging industry. Its recent evolution has involved a complicated and dynamic mix of promises, reality checks and subsequent ambivalences. This article frames and investigates the emerging algae-based bioplastics industry as one niche within this broader system envisaged for social, technological, economic, political and ecological change. As such, our paper presents two categories of knowledge that in practice interrelate: 1) specific and practical recommendations that can assist a future algal-based bioplastics industry to develop in Australia in ways that are conscious of socio-ecological and socio-cultural dimensions, and 2) critical extensions that go beyond the attributes of newness, impact, suddenness and universality often emphasised in both popular and scientific research into emerging green technologies. In particular, our analysis highlights the importance of specific temporal, tonal and spatial factors when framing the contextual factors associated emerging industries, technologies and the different pathways for change they might help support.

Development of high-amylose maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes adapted to Indian conditions through molecular breeding

Context Amylose is a type of resistant starch with numerous health benefits and industrial applications. Starch from maize (Zea mays L.) usually has an amylose content of ~25%. Aims The aim was to develop high-amylose maize genotypes suitable for human consumption and adapted to Indian conditions. Methods Marker-assisted backcross breeding was used to transfer the mutant ae1 allele from a high-amylose donor from the USA into the three parents (HKI 1344, HKI 1378, HKI 1348-6-2) of two high-yielding white maize hybrids (HM5 and HM12) grown in India. Key results In converted lines, amylose content was 40.40–58.10% of total kernel starch, compared with 22.25–26.39% in parents. The percentage increase in amylose content was 63.70–153.03%. There was a significant amount of background recovery in each backcross generation: 66.80–79% in BC1F1, 72.85–88.60% in BC2F1, and 84.45–93.70% in BC2F2. Overall, the total kernel starch content was reduced (by ~22%) in the ae1-introgressed families. Conclusions The converted lines developed in the study are enriched with kernel amylose while showing significant background recovery. Implications The high-amylose lines developed may be highly beneficial for diabetic patients and in the bioplastics industry, and should be suitable for growing under Indian conditions.

Evaluation of orange peel (Citrus sinensis) bioplastic through morphological and thermo-mechanical characteristics.

Objective: To evaluate the morphological and thermo-mechanical properties of a biofilm obtained from orange peel.
 Design/methodology/approach: Pectin, a polysaccharide obtained from orange peel, has the potential to be used as a raw material in the bioplastics industry. The samples obtained were characterized by the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) technique, mechanical tension and by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
 Results: The elastic modulus was in the range of 7.7 to 29.9 MPa, depending on the plasticizer content. The thermogravimetric analysis showed a thermal decomposition between 134.42 to 153.98 °C depending on the plasticizer content and up to five events were identified.
 Limitations of the study/implications: During the process, a pectin yield of 75% of orange peel was obtained.
 Findings/conclusions: In developing countries such as Mexico, waste originating from agricultural and agro-industrial activities represents an important source of natural carbohydrate polymers that can be used to produce bioplastics, intended to replace petroleum-derived materials. In the case of orange peel, it can become a potential raw material to obtain value-added products in sectors of the food industry. These results indicated that our pectin has suitable properties to be used as raw material for the manufacture of bioplastics.

Enhancing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production in halophilic bacteria through improved salt tolerance

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) have emerged as a promising bio-compound in the industrial application due to their potential to replace conventional petroleum-based plastics with sustainable bioplastics. This study focuses on Halomonas sp. YJPS3-3, a halophilic bacterium, and presents a novel approach to enhance PHA production by exploiting its salt tolerance toward PHA biosynthesis. Through gamma irradiation-induced mutants with enhanced salt tolerance from 15% NaCl to 20% NaCl, mutant halo6 showing a significant 11% increase in PHA yield, was achieved. Moreover, the mutants displayed not only higher PHA content but also remarkable cell morphology with elongation. In addition, this research unravels the genetic determinants behind the elevated PHA content and identifies a corresponding shift in fatty acid composition favoring PHA accumulation. This novel mutant obtained from gamma irradiation with enhanced salt tolerance in halophilic bacteria opens up new avenues not only for the bioplastic industry but also for applications in the production of high-value metabolites.

BIODEGRADATION OF WASTED BIOPLASTICS

Bioplastic is plastic made from renewable biological material, usually plants, bio-waste or microorganisms, rather than petroleum or natural gas. Most bioplastics are environmentally friendly compared to plastics that are made from fossil fuels. But this is not always the case - a lot depends on how bioplastic is produced and disposed of. The bioplastics industry is young—accounting for only 1% of global plastics production in 2019. Standardization of raw material sources, types of plastic, or labeling of what is biodegradable or compostable is poorly developed. This often confuses consumers because not everything made from plants is biodegradable. However, growing awareness of the dangers of overuse of plastics and increased government regulation of plastic waste have led to a surge of interest and investment in bioplastics, an industry expected to grow 10-14% in the next few years. It is possible that this will partially help solve one of the most serious environmental problems in the world: plastic pollution. Marine plastic pollution is a growing global problem. The most striking example is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. According to the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), of the approximately 36 million tons of plastic produced annually in the United States, less than 1% is recycled. Globally, only about 9% of plastic waste is recycled. About 11 million tons of plastic waste are dumped into the world's oceans every year. Even more comes from land-based sources, where plastic slowly breaks down into smaller and smaller particles. According to some estimates, there are up to 51 trillion microplastic particles floating in our oceans. Scientists estimate that the average adult ingests approximately 883 microplastic particles every day, which accumulate in our body tissues. Ingestion of plastic by marine and terrestrial animals can have extremely adverse effects on their health, including death.

Purification and characterization of extracellular PHB depolymerase enzyme from Aeromonas caviae Kuk1-(34) and their biodegradation studies with polymer films.

PHB depolymerase enzymes are able to breakdown the PHB polymers and thereby get significant economic value in the bioplastics industry and for bioremediation as well. This study shows the purification of novel extracellular PHB depolymerase enzyme from Aeromonas caviae Kuk1-(34) using dialysis followed by gel filtration and HPLC. The purification fold and yield after HPLC were 45.92 and 27.04%, respectively. HPLC data showed a single peak with a retention time of 1.937min. GC-MS analysis reveals the presence of three compounds, of which 1-Dodecanol was found to be most significant with 54.48% area and 8.623-min retention time (RT). The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was obtained as 35kDa with Km and apparent Vmax values of 0.769mg/mL and 1.89 U/mL, respectively. The enzyme was moderately active at an optimum temperature of 35 °C and at pH 8.0. The stability was detected at pH 7.0-9.0 and 35-45 °C. Complete activity loss was observed with EDTA, SDS, Tween-20 at 5 mM and with 0.1% Triton X 100. A biodegradation study of commercially available biodegradable polymer films was carried out in a liquid medium and in soil separately with pure microbial culture and with purified enzyme for 7, 14, 28, and 49 consecutive days. In a liquid medium, with a pure strain of Aeromonas caviae Kuk1-(34), the maximum degradation (89%) was achieved on the PHB film, while no changes were observed with other polymer films. With purified enzyme in the soil, 71% degradation of the PHB film was noticed, and it was only 18% in the liquid medium. All such weight analysis were confirmed by SEM images where several holes, pits, grooves, crest, and surface roughness are clearly observed. Our results demonstrated the potential utility of Aeromonas caviae Kuk1-(34) as a source of extracellular PHB depolymerase capable of degrading PHB under a wide range of natural/ lab conditions.

Management practices for compostable plastic packaging waste: Impacts, challenges and recommendations

The EU Green Deal aims at solving the challenges related to plastic production, (mis-)use, and pollution. While the bioplastic industry is identified as one of the possible avenues to tackle the problem, bioplastic waste collection and management practices are still far from full-development and harmonisation. To inform policy makers on the best practices and their feasibility, this study quantifies environmental and economic impacts of compostable plastic packaging (CPP) waste management schemes by means of Life Cycle Assessment and Costing. Results show that, with respect to climate change and financial costs, the scheme leading to the highest benefits is collecting CPP with conventional plastic waste followed by mechanical sorting and recycling (saving ca. 306 kg CO2eq. t−1 at a net income of 3.7 EUR t−1). The second best option is collecting CPP with bio-waste followed by biological treatment (saving ca. 69 kg CO2eq. t−1 at a cost of 197 EUR t−1). Collecting CPP with conventional plastics followed by sorting and biological treatment is to be avoided. The trend on the other impact categories generally follows climate change. Ideally, closed loop is therefore preferred, but conditioned by (i) having high share of CPP in municipal waste (else sorting is economically unfeasible), (ii) good citizen’s behaviour at source-segregation, and (iii) an established market for secondary material. Currently, overall benefits are limited by the low amounts, suggesting that the management choice could ultimately be based on rather simple technical and economic feasibility criteria while regulatory and management efforts should be focused on other waste streams with greater implications on environment.

Potential Perspectives and Sustainability of Bioplastics Developed from Horticulture.

In recent times, bioplastics have become an integrated sustainable alternative to plastic management to lessen the dependency on fossil fuels as well as better plastic disposal methods. Through this study, the focus is laid upon the dire need for developing bio-plastics for transforming to a sustainable future as bio-plastics are renewable, more feasible, and a sustainable option when compared to the high-energy consuming conventional oil-based plastics. Bioplastics might not be a one-stop solution for all environmental issues caused by plastics, but it will be a beneficial step for expanding biodegradable polymer as society's current concerns about the environment makes this an ideal time for further growth of biopolymers. Moreover, the potential market for agricultural materials in bioplastics is leading to an economic push toward the growth of the bioplastic industry, thus providing better alternatives for a future sustainable environment. The objective of the review is to provide detailed knowledge about plastics obtained from various renewable sources, their production, life cycle, market share, applications, and roles to act as a sustainable source of synthetic plastics, thereby featuring various possibilities and potentialities of bioplastics to perform as an alternative solution for waste reduction.

Bioplastics: Innovation for Green Transition.

Bioplastics are one of the possible alternative solutions to the polymers of petrochemical origins. Bioplastics have several advantages over traditional plastics in terms of low carbon footprint, energy efficiency, biodegradability and versatility. Although they have numerous benefits and are revolutionizing many application fields, they also have several weaknesses, such as brittleness, high-water absorption, low crystallization ability and low thermal degradation temperature. These drawbacks can be a limiting factor that prevents their use in many applications. Nonetheless, reinforcements and plasticizers can be added to bioplastic production as a way to overcome such limitations. Bioplastics materials are not yet studied in depth, but it is with great optimism that their industrial use and market scenarios are increasing; such growth can be a positive driver for more research in this field. National and international investments in the bioplastics industry can also promote the green transition. International projects, such as EcoPlast and Animpol, aim to study and develop new polymeric materials made from alternative sources. One of their biggest problems is their waste management; there is no separation process yet to recycle the nonbiodegradable bioplastics, and they are considered contaminants when mixed with other polymers. Some materials use additives, and their impact on the microplastics they leave after breaking apart is subject to debate. For this reason, it is important to consider their life cycle analysis and assess their environmental viability. These are materials that can possibly be processed in various ways, including conventional processes used for petrochemical ones. Those include injection moulding and extrusion, as well as digital manufacturing. This and the possibility to use these materials in several applications is one of their greatest strengths. All these aspects will be discussed in this review.

A Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Alternative to Plastics: Bioplastics

Traditional plastics made from petrochemicals continue to be extensively employed in packaging because of their strong barrier qualities, rigidity, and tensile and tear strengths. Despite their popularity, plastics have a number of disadvantages, such as a relatively low water vapour transmission rate and a lack of biodegradability. In recent years, we have seen the correct disposal of plastic become a persistent and possibly global environmental issue. Millions of animals have died as a result of improper plastic disposal and land and marine garbage disposal, which reduced soil fertility. Newer concepts for using bioplastics were implemented while keeping in mind the environmental damage and contamination. Bioplastics are a rapidly growing segment of the plastics industry, and they have the potential to play a significant role in addressing some of the environmental challenges posed by traditional petroleum-based plastics. This review aims to provide an overview of the current state of the bioplastics industry, including its brief history, the types of bioplastics that are available, their properties, production processes, and end-of-life considerations. Additionally, the review will explore the advantages and disadvantages of bioplastics compared to traditional plastics, and will consider the future prospects of this rapidly evolving industry.

Microbial D-lactic acid production, In Situ separation and recovery from mature and young coconut husk hydrolysate fermentation broth

The bioplastic industry's demand for D-lactic acid is increasing due to the widespread use of polylactic acid (PLA). Presently, D-lactic acid production exploits lignocellulosic biomass as carbon sources for fermentation gaining major attention. Mature coconut husk (MCH) and young coconut husk (YCH) hydrolysates were used as fermentation broth for D-lactic acid production by Lactobacillus coryniformis subsp. torquens. Yeast extract was added and broth pH was controlled by NaOH in both hydrolysates to facilitate the D-lactic acid production. A significant increase in D-lactic acid production with 14.93 and 19.88 g/L, in MCH and YCH was observed, respectively. However, the D-lactic acid produced existed in the form of lactate salt, which requires multiple separation and purification steps. In situD-lactic acid separation and recovery using ion exchange resin (IRA-67) of 0.4–1.0 g was investigated, and the result showed that 0.6 g of resin effectively separate D-lactic acid while maintaining broth pH in the optimum range. The total recovery of D-lactic acid from IRA-67 resin was 0.67 g for MCH and 0.90 g for YCH hydrolysate broth, with 90% recovering efficiency. The recovered D-lactic acid was considered to have the least fermentation impurities and potentially be used in PLA synthesis.

Algal bioplastics: current market trends and technical aspects.

Plastics are undebatably a hot topic of discussion across international forums due to their huge ecological footprint. The onset of COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the issue in an irreversible manner. Bioplastics produced from renewable sources are a result of lookout for sustainable alternatives. Replacing a ton of synthetic plastics with biobased ones reduces 1.8 tons CO2 emissions. Here, we begin with highlighting the problem statement—Plastic accumulation and its associated negative impacts. Microalgae outperforms plants and microbes, when used to produce bioplastic due to superior growth rate, non-competitive nature to food, and simultaneous wastewater remediation. They have minimal nutrient requirements and less dependency on climatic conditions for cultivation. These are the reasons for current boom in the algal bioplastic market. However, it is still not at par in price with the petroleum-based plastics. A brief market research has been done to better evaluate the current global status and future scope of algal bioplastics. The objective of this review is to propose possible solutions to resolve the challenges in scale up of bioplastic industry. Various bioplastic production technologies have been comprehensively discussed along with their optimization strategies. Overall studies discussed show that in order to make it cost competitive adopting a multi-dimensional approach like algal biorefinery is the best way out. A holistic comparison of any bio-based alternative with its conventional counterpart is imperative to assess its impact upon commercialization. Therefore, the review concludes with the life cycle assessment of bioplastics and measures to improve their inclusivity in a circular economy.Graphical

Preparation of a sustainable bio-copolymer based on Luffa cylindrica cellulose and poly(ɛ-caprolactone) for bioplastic applications

In this research, a bio-based graft copolymer (LCC-g-PCL) based on the cellulose of Luffa cylindrica (LCC) main chain possessing poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) pendant groups is synthesized through a grafting from approach via ring-opening polymerization (ROP). For this purpose, LCC, extracted from luffa sponges by combined method, is utilized for ROP of ɛ-caprolactone (ɛ-CL) as a macro-initiator in the presence of stannous octoate as a catalyst. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR and 13C NMR) spectroscopies are utilized to structurally indicate the success of ROP, while the achieved graft copolymer is analyzed in detail by comparing with LCC and neat PCL in terms of wettability, thermal and degradation behaviors by conducting water contact angle (WCA) measurements, thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analyses (TGA and DSC) and in vitro both hydrolytic and enzymatic biodegradation tests, respectively. The results of conducted tests show that the incorporation of PCL groups on LCC provide the increasing hydrophobicity. In addition, the degradation behavior of the LCC-g-PCL copolymer is found to be more pronounced under enzymatic medium rather than hydrolytic conditions. It is anticipated from the results that LCC-g-PCL can be a potential eco-friendly material particularly in bioplastic industry.

Development of Starch-Based Materials Using Current Modification Techniques and Their Applications: A Review.

Starch is one of the most common biodegradable polymers found in nature, and it is widely utilized in the food and beverage, bioplastic industry, paper industry, textile, and biofuel industries. Starch has received significant attention due to its environmental benignity, easy fabrication, relative abundance, non-toxicity, and biodegradability. However, native starch cannot be directly used due to its poor thermo-mechanical properties and higher water absorptivity. Therefore, native starch needs to be modified before its use. Major starch modification techniques include genetic, enzymatic, physical, and chemical. Among those, chemical modification techniques are widely employed in industries. This review presents comprehensive coverage of chemical starch modification techniques and genetic, enzymatic, and physical methods developed over the past few years. In addition, the current applications of chemically modified starch in the fields of packaging, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, superabsorbent and wastewater treatment have also been discussed.

Production and Surface Modification of Cellulose Bioproducts.

Petroleum-based synthetic plastics play an important role in our life. As the detrimental health and environmental effects of synthetic plastics continue to increase, the renewable, degradable and recyclable properties of cellulose make subsequent products the “preferred environmentally friendly” alternatives, with a small carbon footprint. Despite the fact that the bioplastic industry is growing rapidly with many innovative discoveries, cellulose-based bioproducts in their natural state face challenges in replacing synthetic plastics. These challenges include scalability issues, high cost of production, and most importantly, limited functionality of cellulosic materials. However, in order for cellulosic materials to be able to compete with synthetic plastics, they must possess properties adequate for the end use and meet performance expectations. In this regard, surface modification of pre-made cellulosic materials preserves the chemical profile of cellulose, its mechanical properties, and biodegradability, while diversifying its possible applications. The review covers numerous techniques for surface functionalization of materials prepared from cellulose such as plasma treatment, surface grafting (including RDRP methods), and chemical vapor and atomic layer deposition techniques. The review also highlights purposeful development of new cellulosic architectures and their utilization, with a specific focus on cellulosic hydrogels, aerogels, beads, membranes, and nanomaterials. The judicious choice of material architecture combined with a specific surface functionalization method will allow us to take full advantage of the polymer’s biocompatibility and biodegradability and improve existing and target novel applications of cellulose, such as proteins and antibodies immobilization, enantiomers separation, and composites preparation.

Developments of biobased plasticizers for compostable polymers in the green packaging applications: A review.

The demand for biobased materials for various end-uses in the bioplastic industry is substantially growing due to increasing awareness of health and environmental concerns, along with the toxicity of synthetic plasticizers such as phthalates. This fact has stimulated new regulations requiring the replacement of synthetic conventional plasticizers, particularly for packaging applications. Biobased plasticizers have recently been considered as essential additives, which may be used during the processing of compostable polymers to enormously boost biobased packaging applications. The development and utilization of biobased plasticizers derived from epoxidized soybean oil, castor oil, cardanol, citrate, and isosorbide have been broadly investigated. The synthesis of biobased plasticizers derived from renewable feedstocks and their impact on packaging material performance have been emphasized. Moreover, the effect of biobased plasticizer concentration, interaction, and compatibility on the polymer properties has been examined. Recent developments have resulted in the replacement of synthetic plasticizers by biobased counterparts. Particularly, this has been the case for some biodegradable thermoplastics-based packaging applications.

Graphene derivatives in bioplastic: A comprehensive review of properties and future perspectives

The research and technological advancements observed in the latest years in the nanotechnology field translated into significant application developments in various areas. This is particularly true for the renewable polymers area, where the nano-reinforcement of biobased materials leads to an increase in their technique and economic competitiveness. The efforts were predominantly focused on materials development and energy consumption minimization. However, attention must also be given to the widespread commercialization and the full characterization of any particular potential toxicological and environmental impact. Some of the most important nanomaterials used in recent years as fillers in the bioplastic industry are graphene-based materials (GBMs). GBMs have high surface area and biocompatibility and have interesting characterizations such as strangeness and flexibility. In this paper, the current state of the art for these GBMs in the bioplastics area, their challenges, and the strategies to overcome them are analyzed.

Synergistic Dual Catalytic System and Kinetics for the Alcoholysis of Poly(Lactic Acid)

Plastic pollution is a global issue that is approaching crisis levels as plastic production is projected to reach 1.1 GT annually by 2050. The bioplastic industry along with a circular production economy are solutions to this problem. One promising bioplastic polylactic acid (PLA) has mechanical properties comparable to polystyrene (PS), so it could replace PS in its applications as a more environmentally sustainable material. However, since the bioplastic PLA also suffers from long biodegradation times in the environment, to ensure that it does not add to the current pollution problem, it should instead be chemically recycled. In this work, PLA was chemically recycled via alcoholysis, using either methanol or ethanol to generate the value-added products methyl lactate and ethyl lactate respectively. Two catalysts, zinc acetate dihydrate (ZnAc) and 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP), were tested both individually and in mixtures. A synergistic effect was exhibited on the reaction rate when both catalysts were used in an equal ratio. The methanolysis reaction was determined to be two-step, with the activation energy estimated to be 73 kJ mol−1 for the first step and 40.16 kJ mol−1 for the second step. Both catalysts are cheap and commercially available, their synergistic effect could be exploited for large-scale PLA recycling.