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Environment

Edible six-pack rings to save marine life? We'll drink to that

By Nick Lavars
May 20, 2016
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When it comes to pollution in the ocean it's a lot more than simply six-pack rings that are wreaking havoc
When it comes to pollution in the ocean it's a lot more than simply six-pack rings that are wreaking havoc
The edible six-pack rings are 100 percent biodegradable, compostable and best of all, edible
Saltwater teamed up with ad agency We Believers for the project
The brewery says the material is 100 percent biodegradable, compostable and best of all, edible
Saltwater Brewery makes the material from barley and wheat remnants leftover from its beer brewing
When it comes to pollution in the ocean it's a lot more than simply six-pack rings that are wreaking havoc
The edible six-pack rings are 100 percent biodegradable, compostable and best of all, edible
Saltwater teamed up with ad agency We Believers for the project
The brewery says the material is 100 percent biodegradable, compostable and best of all, edible
Saltwater Brewery makes the material from barley and wheat remnants leftover from its beer brewing
View gallery - 10 images

Six-pack rings that make their way into the ocean spell all kinds of trouble for its residents, trapping and choking sea-dwelling animals or otherwise taking their sweet time to break down. So one Florida-based craft brewery is turning this curse into a blessing, tying its six-packs together with an edible material for marine life to feast on.

Saltwater Brewery makes the material from barley and wheat remnants leftover from its beer brewing and says it is 100 percent biodegradable, compostable and best of all, edible. This means that rather than creating a death trap for ocean wildlife, the waste can provide a nice little snack instead.

Saltwater teamed up with ad agency We Believers for the project, and while the brewery is small and the rings will have a marginal impact to begin with, it hopes to inspire larger brewers to follow suit.

The brewery says the material is 100 percent biodegradable, compostable and best of all, edible

When it comes to pollution in the ocean it's a lot more than simply six-pack rings that are wreaking havoc. A study published last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences estimates there to be as much as 580,000 pieces of plastic per km sq in the ocean. It also predicts that 99 percent of seabird species will have ingested plastics by 2050.

The edible rings aren't a comprehensive solution, and there are much bigger picture ideas aimed at tackling this huge problem such as the Ocean Cleanup project. They could, however, start moving beer brewers in a new direction, one six pack at a time.

You can hear from those involved in the video below.

View gallery - 10 images

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EnvironmentBeerConservationOcean
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Nick Lavars
Nick has been writing and editing at New Atlas for over six years, where he has covered everything from distant space probes to self-driving cars to oddball animal science. He previously spent time at The Conversation, Mashable and The Santiago Times, earning a Masters degree in communications from Melbourne’s RMIT University along the way.
6 comments
Milton
very cool.
Buellrider
Great idea if it is as good as the article claims. I'm assuming it needs to soften in water so it can be eaten. What happens if an animal gets it around it's neck while it is still dry? Is it pliable from the get-go or rigid until under water for awhile. Article leaves a bunch of unanswered questions. I am very glad that there are people trying to do something about those animal killing plastic 6-pack rings. Thanks.
Harvey
Indeed very cool. Though, I wish people trying to advocate positions wouldn't include false statements in their pitches. It leads people to mistrust the whole message. The claim that "most of the plastic six pack rings used end up in the ocean" seems incredible. I would wager that most beer drinkers probably throw the rings away in their trash only to be hauled off by some trash service. If that's the case, perhaps we should investigate how an alarmingly high number of the rings migrate from landfills and incinerators to the ocean. Or perhaps their claim is true and for some reason, people who drink canned beer from plastic ring packaging dump the packaging into their nearest water way or place them where runoff or wind will do the same.
Lewis M. Dickens III
BRAVO. EVERYONE ON TO THIS SOLUTION IMMEDIATELY!
B
MichiganDave
Very, very cool and I'd like to see this expanded to other drinks. Furthermore, how about one to encourage plant growth for my vegetable gardens? That, also, would be cool.
Bonnie
This kind of creativeness makes my heart sing. It also makes me weepy with gratitude for those who make the effort, taking us another step closer to saving our world for our children.
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