CSIR-NIIST’s biodegradable PLA bottle heads to market as a PET alternative

CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram has developed a biodegradable bottle from PLA blended with sugarcane waste and starch. The technology has been transferred to Pune-based start-up Mridaa Polymers, and the institute says more companies will be able to license it.

PET bottles dominate packaged drinking water and beverages, and PET does not biodegrade. Scientists at the CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, have developed a bio-polymer bottle meant to replace them. They displayed it at the CSIR stall during the exhibition held alongside the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2026.

Material and composition

The bottle is based on polylactic acid (PLA), a biodegradable biopolymer. It is blended with natural, agriculture-derived materials such as sugarcane waste and starch. Combining a biodegradable polymer with farm resources is meant to reduce reliance on petroleum-based plastics. The project is part of a wider effort to use indigenous materials.

The technology was developed by CSIR-NIIST scientist Dr Anjineyulu Kothakota. He says the aim is to replace the PET bottle, because PET does not degrade and pollutes the environment.

Claimed performance

According to the developers:

• The bottle matches conventional PET bottles in clarity and weight.
• Its shelf life is about one year.
• It degrades in about six months under natural conditions.
• It degrades in about three months under composting, where temperatures are higher.
• Target uses include drinking water, juices, soft drinks and other food products.

These figures are the developers’ own claims. No independent test data or peer-reviewed publication has been reported so far.

Perceived impact on the industry

Plastemart view: India has a large base of PET bottle converters, and EPR obligations under the Plastic Waste Management Rules keep tightening. A home-grown, licensable bio-polymer bottle gives brand owners and processors one more option to evaluate. Non-exclusive licensing makes it accessible to smaller converters, not just one big player. Processors should weigh some practical points before switching:

• Validated data on barrier performance, top-load strength and suitability for carbonated drinks has not yet been published.
• PLA blends usually need different drying, moulding and stretch-blow settings from PET, so some tooling and process trials are likely.
• Composting-based degradation depends on collection and composting infrastructure being in place.
• A PLA bottle entering the PET recycling stream could contaminate it, so separate collection and clear labelling will matter.

Cost per bottle compared with PET has not been disclosed, and it will largely decide how widely the technology is adopted.

Source

Based on a report by Aflaha Saleem K.P. in The Week (28 October 2026), with information from CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram.

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