Methods of reducing exposure to latex comprise forming an item comprising a biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer comprising two randomly repeating monomer units. The first randomly repeating monomer unit has the structure: ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 is H, or C.sub.1-2 alkyl, and n is 1 or 2; and the second randomly repeating monomer unit has the structure: ##STR00002## wherein R.sup.2 is a C.sub.3-19 alkyl or C.sub.3-19 alkenyl. At least 50% of the randomly repeating monomer units have the structure of the first randomly repeating monomer unit.