ocean pollution

They have been working on producing the material for eight years and it has been designed to replace conventional plastic packaging. It is composed of polyurethane foam and dissolves in seawater and land-based composts. The researchers worked alongside marine biologists to test the material in natural nearshore ecosystems, which is where disposed plastic is most likely to end up.

The new packaging is recycled from waste plastic collected by communities in coastal areas across the world. The move will prevent a claimed 76 tonnes of plastic entering the ocean each year, equivalent to three million bottles.

Produced by Sharpak, part of Groupe Guillin, and supplied by Bantam Materials, the so-called “prevented ocean plastic” is said to be of fully traceable provenance.