Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable polyester produced from renewable resources, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics. Its increasing use has raised concerns about waste management, prompting research into efficient degradation methods. Enzymatic degradation, involving depolymerizing enzymes like proteases, lipases, cutinases, and esterases, is a promising approach for PLA recycling and upcycling. This review summarizes the key enzymes involved in PLA degradation, their characteristics, and methods for evaluating their activity. While complete degradation of solid PLA remains challenging, advancements in enzyme engineering and biocatalysis could enhance degradation efficiency. Enzymatic degradation offers advantages over mechanical and chemical methods, including lower energy consumption and the potential for circular economy applications. Various enzymes, including serine proteases, lipases, and cutinases, have been isolated and characterized for their ability to degrade PLA. Analytical methods such as turbidity measurement, gel permeation chromatography, and HPLC are used to assess degradation progress. Future research aims to improve enzyme performance through protein engineering and machine learning, enabling more effective PLA degradation and recycling.Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable polyester produced from renewable resources, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics. Its increasing use has raised concerns about waste management, prompting research into efficient degradation methods. Enzymatic degradation, involving depolymerizing enzymes like proteases, lipases, cutinases, and esterases, is a promising approach for PLA recycling and upcycling. This review summarizes the key enzymes involved in PLA degradation, their characteristics, and methods for evaluating their activity. While complete degradation of solid PLA remains challenging, advancements in enzyme engineering and biocatalysis could enhance degradation efficiency. Enzymatic degradation offers advantages over mechanical and chemical methods, including lower energy consumption and the potential for circular economy applications. Various enzymes, including serine proteases, lipases, and cutinases, have been isolated and characterized for their ability to degrade PLA. Analytical methods such as turbidity measurement, gel permeation chromatography, and HPLC are used to assess degradation progress. Future research aims to improve enzyme performance through protein engineering and machine learning, enabling more effective PLA degradation and recycling.