A Florida brewery has developed an edible six-pack ring, comprised of barley and wheat leftover from the brewing process. 100% biodegradable, compostable, and edible, the rings are proving as sturdy and efficient as the plastic rings they replace.
Every year, as many as 1 million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles become trapped in the ubiquitous plastic six-pack beverage rings. Cutting the rings doesn’t guarantee the animals’ safety, as many creatures die from ingesting the plastic as it floats through the water.
The safer rings are created using beer-making waste; re-purposing the excess barley and wheat further closes the loop for the environmentally friendly packaging. Saltwater Brewery, the Florida beer makers responsible for creating the idea, hopes that the larger brewers and industry leaders (hello soda companies!) will adopt the idea. This will bring down the cost to produce the edible rings, providing companies with a financially viable — as well as an environmentally sound — alternative to plastic.
Note: currently, Saltwater brand beers are only available in Florida. Hopefully, they will branch out, so we can support their efforts to save the marine animals.
