Is Melted Plastic in IQOS Sticks Toxic?
The melted material inside some IQOS tobacco sticks is often identified as PLA, a plant-based biodegradable plastic. This article discusses what it is and whether it may be harmful.
The material used in the tobacco sticks is called polylactic acid (PLA), a new bio-based and biodegradable material made from starch derived from renewable plant resources such as corn. The starch is saccharified into glucose, then the glucose is fermented with specific bacterial strains to produce high-purity lactic acid, which is then chemically synthesized into polylactic acid with a certain molecular weight. It has good biodegradability. After use, under specific conditions, it can be completely broken down by microorganisms in nature into carbon dioxide and water, causing no environmental pollution. This is very beneficial for environmental protection, and it is recognized as an environmentally friendly material.[1]
