PLA plant – The story so far: As countries look to shift to cleaner processes to manufacture consumer products, be it plastics or textiles, biomaterials will become the new frontier of materials engineering. What are biomaterials? Biomaterials are materials derived wholly or partly from biological sources, or engineered using biological processes, that are designed to replace or interact with conventional materials.
They are increasingly used across sectors such as packaging, textiles, construction, and healthcare. Common examples include bioplastics made from plant sugars or starch, bio-based fibres used in textiles, and medical biomaterials such as biodegradable sutures and tissue scaffolds. Biomaterials can be broadly categorised into three types: drop-in biomaterials, which are chemically identical to petroleum-based materials and can be used in existing manufacturing systems (such as bio-PET); drop-out biomaterials, which are chemically different and require new processing or end-of-life systems (such as polylactic acid or PLA); and novel biomaterials, which offer new properties not found in conventional materials, such as self-healing materials, bioactive implants, and advanced composites.
Why does India need biomaterials? For India, biomaterials address multiple goals, including environmental sustainability, industrial growth, revenue generation, and supporting farmer livelihoods through a single pathway. Indigenous biomaterials biomanufacturing can reduce India’s heavy dependence on fossil-based imports for plastics, chemicals, and materials.
It would also enable diversified value for agricultural feedstocks and residues, offering farmers new income streams beyond food markets. As global regulations and consumer preferences shift toward low-carbon and circular products, biomaterials position the Indian industry to remain competitive in export markets.
Biomaterials also support domestic policy goals around waste reduction, such as the ban on single-use plastics and climate action goals. Where does India stand today? India’s biomaterials sector, spanning bioplastics, biopolymers, and bio-derived materials, is rapidly emerging as a strategic industrial and sustainability opportunity, with the bioplastics market alone valued at around $500 million in 2024 and forecast to grow strongly through the decade.
Balrampur Chini Mills planned PLA plant investment in Uttar Pradesh is one of the biggest investments in India. Domestic innovation includes startups like Phool.
co, converting temple flower waste into biomaterials and Praj Industries, who have their own demonstration-level bioplastics plant in progress. Although India has a rich agricultural base, in some sectors, there is foreign dependence for the technologies required for the transformation of feedstocks into market-ready final products. What are other countries doing? The EU has moved to a single, binding Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR) that recognises that compostable packaging has demonstrable environmental benefits for specific applications.
The UAE is positioning itself as a major manufacturing base via large-scale PLA investment. Emirates Biotech has selected Sulzer technology for a PLA plant planned in two phases of 80,000 tonnes/year each to begin operations in 2028.
This would be the world’s biggest PLA facility once it is fully operational. The U.
S. is leading in a number of transformative technologies, securing it as a leader in biomaterials.
A push for biomaterials comes through its federal purchasing power through the USDA’s BioPreferred program. What is the way forward? India has an advantage in building a biomaterials industry, but some issues would need to be addressed first.
If feedstocks also do not scale with increased demand, there could be feedstock competition with food sources. Similarly, aggressive agricultural practices could lead to water stress and soil deterioration. Further, weak waste-management and composting infrastructure could undermine environmental benefits.
Fragmented policy coordination across agriculture, environment, and industry may slow adoption, and failure to move quickly could leave India dependent on imports as other countries scale faster. To capitalise on this sector, policy actions include scaling biomanufacturing infrastructure (especially fermentation and polymerisation capacity), improving feedstock productivity for crops such as sugarcane, maize, and agricultural residues using emerging technologies, and investing in R&D and standards to develop both drop-in and novel biomaterials.
Clear regulatory definitions, labelling norms, and end-of-life pathways (recycling or industrial composting) are essential to build consumer and industry confidence. Government procurement, time-bound incentives under frameworks, and support for pilot plants and shared facilities can help de-risk early investments. Shambhavi Naik is chairperson, Takshashila Institution’s Health & Life Sciences Policy.