Cereplast

Cereplast has been brewing plant-based plastics since 2001. The company sells the bioplastic resin to companies that manufacture compostable plates, cups, and utensils. This factory in Hawthorne, Calif., churns out 45 million pounds of raw bioplastic each year.

Bioplastics could expand from one-tenth of the current plastics market to one-third by 2020, a total of $10 billion annually in the United States alone, according to a study by Helmut Kaiser Consultancy.

Polystyrene bans in various California cities alone will require some 340 million pounds of Styrofoam to be replaced with more eco-friendly alternatives, according to Cereplast. Similar rules in Europe and Asia are driving demand globally.