Our world’s dependence upon plastic has a serious downside, because we produce so much of it and dispose all of it. Of the 9.1 billion tons of plastic that the world has produced since 1950, 6.9 billion tons has become waste, and only 9 percent of that has been recycled. The rest ends up in landfills and in the world’s oceans, where plastic pollution is destroying fish life and washing ashore. Its clearly wreaking havoc on the environment that sustains us.
One intrepid product designer, Lucy Hughes who founded the start-up MarinaTex in the UK, hopes to replace some varieties of plastic with an organic and biodegradable material that comes from fish waste. The new material is compostable, degrades in 4-6 weeks, processing plant. The plastic alternative is designed to replace traditional plastics such as LDPE in uses such as cling film and bags; providing a more sustainable alternative to food packaging and single-use takeaway shopping bags.
Sustainable is the rule, especially in the packaging sector, and concerned businesses throughout the country are making changes today; ensuring they are compliant in the future.