Germany developed a self-degradable yogurt cup

German company Danone and Gargill DOW Polymers have recently developed a yoghurt cup that can be quickly and automatically degraded. This “green cup” is made of polylactic acid material.

Polylactic acid belongs to α-polyester polymers, similar to polyhydroxybutyrate, poly-polyvalerate and the like. Lactic acid can be extracted from sugar beet fermented sugar and then undergoes ring-opening polymerization to produce polylactic acid. Polylactic acid and commonly used polystyrene, polypropylene and other packaging materials have similar physical and mechanical properties, and have good moisture, grease and seal. Polylactic acid is stable at room temperature, but it decomposes automatically when the temperature is higher than 55°C or at high temperatures of oxygen-rich and microbes. Green yoghurt cups made from this material begin to degrade spontaneously after 21 days and degrade completely after 60 days.