The intensive introduction of global environmental protection policies has provided a strong policy driving force for the development of the PLA series materials industry. Many countries have successively implemented plastic bans to restrict or prohibit the production and use of disposable petroleum-based plastic products. The EU's "Plastic Strategy" clearly states that the proportion of bio-based plastics in total plastic consumption should reach 20% by 2030, while North America encourages enterprises to use biodegradable materials through tax incentives. Guided by policies, the market demand for PLA as a substitute material has shown explosive growth. The global market size has increased from less than 10 billion yuan five years ago to more than 30 billion yuan currently, with a compound annual growth rate of about 25%.

Continuous breakthroughs in technological innovation are breaking the performance and cost bottlenecks of PLA series materials. In terms of high-performance modification technology, the application of nano-composite modification, reactive toughening and other technologies has increased the impact strength of PLA by more than 5 times, and the heat distortion temperature has exceeded 100℃, successfully solving the problems of high brittleness and poor heat resistance of traditional PLA, making it applicable to more high-demand scenarios. In terms of cost control, the raw material end has realized the efficient conversion of non-grain raw materials through the optimization of microbial metabolic pathways; the production end has reduced the unit production cost by 30% through the transformation of continuous and intelligent production lines, gradually narrowing the price gap with traditional petroleum-based plastics, creating conditions for large-scale substitution.

The collaborative development of the industrial chain is building the competitive advantage of the PLA industry. Upstream raw material enterprises have cooperated with scientific research institutions to establish a standardized system from plant cultivation to lactic acid purification, ensuring the stability and safety of raw material supply; midstream production enterprises have realized the serialized development of products through process improvement, and have formed a full-spectrum product matrix from general-purpose grade to medical grade to meet the precise needs of different fields; downstream application enterprises have jointly developed customized products with midstream enterprises, such as packaging enterprises cooperating with PLA producers to develop high-barrier films, and 3D printing enterprises participating in the formula optimization of PLA wires, forming a virtuous cycle of "demand-driven R&D and R&D-supporting application".

At present, the PLA series materials industry is facing unprecedented development opportunities, but it also has challenges. Problems such as seasonal fluctuations in raw material supply, uneven layout of core technology patents for high-performance products, and incomplete recycling systems still need to be solved by the industry. In response, cross-field innovation alliances are being accelerated in the industry to promote the diversification of raw material supply, the localization of production technology, and the standardization of recycling systems.

Looking forward, with the in-depth advancement of the carbon neutrality goal and the continuous maturity of technology, the PLA series materials industry will enter a new stage of high-quality development. It is expected that by 2028, the global PLA output will exceed 5 million tons, and the penetration rate in core fields such as packaging, 3D printing, and medical care will reach 30%, 60%, and 45% respectively. At the same time, the product structure will be upgraded to high value-added direction, and the proportion of medical-grade and high-performance industrial-grade PLA products will increase from 15% to 40%, promoting the industry to realize the transformation from "quantitative accumulation" to "qualitative leap".