Lactic acid and PLA: Feedstocks
Why PLA plants sit beside cheap cane and maize
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.PLA is sugar turned into plastic: about 1.5-1.7 t of sugar per t of PLA (Balrampur, 2026). Plants sit next to cheap sugar: Thai cane, US maize, Chinese maize and Indian cane. Sugar at $0.41/kg (Sep 2026, World Bank via sugar tile) puts feedstock at roughly $620-700/t of PLA, close to the full price of fossil PET.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Su Sugar | 1.6 t per t PLA now, target 1.5 t (Balrampur) | carbon source | about $650/t of PLA at $0.41/kg sugar (derived; about a quarter to a third of price, indicative) | Swarajya 2026; S&P Global 2026; World Bank via sugar tile |
| Mz Maize | about 2.5 t maize per t PLA (indicative) | carbon source in the US and China | about 25-35% (indicative) | indicative |
| Csv Cassava | about 1.7 t starch per t PLA (indicative) | alternative sugar source in Thailand | similar | indicative |
| CaO Lime | up to about 0.6 t per t lactic acid (indicative) | pH control in classical fermentation | small | indicative |
| Energy (steam, power) | not published | fermentation, purification, lactide distillation | significant (indicative) | indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Integrated plants next to cane or maize with large lactide units (NatureWorks, TotalEnergies Corbion in Thailand, large Chinese groups) are lowest cost. Small or non-integrated plants that buy lactic acid struggle, which is why Grandpuits was dropped.
Raw materials on the commodity table
Mz MaizeSu SugarCsv CassavaWhat it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| Fd Food and feed additives | lactic acid and lactates are food acidulants and preservatives |