Marine life can soon chow down on edible can rings
July 27, 2016
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Sea turtles, fish, dolphins and other creatures residing in the ocean might have another entrée to add to their menu if two local organizations successfully produce edible can rings to replace the widely-used plastic soda and beer can ring holders.
We Believers, a co-creation advertising agency, and Florida-based craft beer brand Saltwater Brewery, whose primary target are surfers, fishermen and people who love the sea, decided to tackle the issue of plastic rings posing a threat to wildlife head on by designing, prototyping and manufacturing edible six pack rings.
The six-pack can rings are made of barley and wheat, all are byproducts of the beer brewing process. According to the company, the rings are the first 100 percent biodegradable, compostable and edible packaging used in the beer industry.
Plastic six-pack rings commonly end up in the ocean where wildlife can eat the plastic and die as the material clogs their digestive system, or cause entanglement. Creators of the compostable rings hope the product is part of the solution to the widely known problem.
The team was able to produce 500 non-plastic, edible, biodegradable can rings earlier this year. They hope to share the product with other breweries and ensure birds, fish, and otters are safe from potentially harmful plastic can rings.
Visit saltwaterbrewery.com for more information.
