The American brewery Saltwater has developed six-pack can rings that are totally biodegradable... and 100% edible!
According to them, Americans consume 24 billion litres of beer a year. Half of that is sold in cans, and most of the plastic "rings" used to hold the beers end up in the ocean.
Eco Six Pack Rings, the first eco-friendly six-pack ring made from waste beer by-products and other compostable materials, E6PR, is designed to replace plastic rings, which are truly harmful to our environment and the animals that live in it.
In 1987, the Associated Press reported that an estimated one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals were killed each year by six-pack can rings; a piece of plastic, which we think so little about before throwing it away.
Given the current tragic state of plastic pollution, the creation of single-use biodegradable packaging is a necessity.
Before you buy anything wrapped in plastic, consider that it can take up to 1000 years to dissolve.
"The rings are expensive to produce, but we hope people will pay a little more to help protect marine life," says the brand.
The brand also believes that manufacturing costs will fall if other breweries adopt the idea.
"We hope to influence the big guys," says Chris Goves, president of Saltwater Brewery.
You can find out more about this great idea by watching this video: