Can 3D Printed PLA be composted in the Subpod?
PLA, also known as polylactic acid or polylactide, is a thermoplastic made from renewable resources such as corn starch, tapioca roots or sugar cane, unlike other industrial materials made primarily from petroleum.
Check with your source of PLA whether it is home compostable or commercially compostable. If it’s home compostable then it should be fine to compost in Subpod.
If you decide to add 3D Printed PLA to your Subpod, there are some potential risks to consider before doing so:
- Microplastics generated in the 3D printing process could contaminate the Subpod.
- Some of the brass nozzles used in 3D printing contain small amounts of lead that could be leached into the 3D printed object, eventually making its way into your Subpod.
For more information on this, have a look at this article on 3D printing and food safety
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