The recycling process for plastic materials is woefully ineffective, which leads to most plastics being used one time and then ending up in a landfill.  Only 9% of all the plastic waste generated globally is recycled.  Alternative processes and polymer materials are needed to address the growing problem of single-use plastics.  One promising alternative is polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA), a biodegradable polyester made from renewable biomass, typically fermented plant starch.  Existing research on PLA supports the use of industrial composting facilities for decomposition, however our current infrastructure is insufficient and unable to support the widespread use of PLA.  As a result, PLA often ends up in landfills with the majority of plastics.  To make PLA a more sustainable option, my research focuses on small-scale composting, such as that found in community gardens and backyards, as a potential solution that addresses the lack of industrial composting facilities.  In prior work, various plastics and their impact on the environment and human health were investigated.  My current research explores the reversible conversion of lactic acid to polylactic acid polymer with known methods.  Additionally, different solute isolation techniques (water, ethanol, or propanol) were assessed to determine which is most efficient at extracting lactic acid from soil.  Finally, small-scale composting experiments of PLA were conducted to identify optimal conditions for its decomposition.  Initial results suggest that ethanol is the most efficient solvent for extracting lactic acid from soil.  PLA was observed to decompose in the presence of Amycolatopsis genus bacteria in a carefully monitored compost bin.