Edible 6-Pack Rings Could Solve A Serious Packaging Problem

Plastic 6-pack rings have been a noted danger to sea life for decades. That hasn’t stopped companies from using them, though, and it hasn’t stopped them from winding up in the rivers, lakes, and oceans. However, the Saltwater Brewery in Delray Beach, Florida has looked at the problem, and decided that if no one else is going to do something about it, they will.

Corporate Social Responsibility in Action

The Saltwater Brewery is by no means a powerhouse when it comes to money and influence, but they have created a product that could make huge changes if it was adopted on a wide scale. The product? Biodegradable 6-pack rings that can actually be eaten by marine wildlife.

These rings are just as strong and versatile as their plastic counterparts, but they’re made from the wheat and barley ribbons from the brewing process. Once they’re discarded, they break down in short order. There’s no risk of turtles getting trapped, or larger animals getting hurt because they ingested plastic rings. The only real difference, though, is that these environmentally friendly can binders are currently more expensive than plastic rings. Which is why the Saltwater Brewery’s stance on using them, despite the hike in their prices, is something that other corporations should notice.

A good product that makes a difference should be celebrated, and if that product is a little more expensive, that cost should be shared among other companies. If everyone used these rings for their cans, the demand would shoot up, the cost would go down, and we’d see a lot less garbage floating around in our oceans.