Although PLA has long been promoted as a bio-based and biodegradable alternative for 3D printing, its manufacture still depends on agricultural commodities like maize, which may not be totally sustainable in the long run and can compete with food production. Furthermore, PLA does not break down as quickly in conventional landfill settings as once believed, which raises questions regarding its actual environmental effect. Consequently, there is an increasing need for substitute materials that provide equivalent functionality with less negative environmental impact.
The first step in making recycled PLA filament is gathering PLA trash from different sources. Items that have reached the end of their useful lives, leftovers, and extra material produced during the production process are all included in this garbage. After it is gathered, the PLA waste is cleaned and sorted to get rid of impurities and get it ready for processing.

To improve its qualities even further, the recycled PLA filament may go through extra processing procedures including stretching, annealing, or chilling after extrusion. The filament is then bundled and spooled, making it suitable for use in 3D printing applications.

Many of the advantageous characteristics of virgin PLA, such as biodegradability, low toxicity, and ease of printing, are still present in the resultant recycled PLA filament. But it also has the added advantage of keeping garbage out of landfills and lowering the need to produce new plastics.