Eco – friendly USB flash drives

Are these 3D printed name flash drives eco – friendly?

As we use PLA (Poly Lactic Acid) for printing the body of each personalized flash drive is 100% eco-friendly.

Poly Lactic Acid is a very environmentally friendly material to use as it is derived from corn starch and thus is not fossil fuel based. It is also able to biodegrade in an active compost heap. Moreover: “To biodegrade within 90 days, the products have to reach 140 F for 10 consecutive days.” (Sorce: Biodegradable Poly (Lactic Acid): Synthesis, Modification, Processing, and Applications, author Jie Ren, article)

Does it mean that you have to worry about your flash drive’s lifespan?

Of course not. In 2010, PLA had the second highest consumption volume of any bioplastic of the world. Under normal circumstances your flash drive will not degrade. 140 F is far too high temperature, especially for 10 days. PLA is UV – resistant too, so it will last in your lifetime. (Source: wikipedia )