Bottles made from red algae

RED ALGAE BOTTLES

On the one hand, we're overwhelmed by plastic bottles (35 billion are produced worldwide every year), but on the other, fortunately, non-waste alternatives are also emerging. Such as bottles made from red algae powder (agar agar) and water : flexible, durable, and above all non-polluting, they're produced according to the idea of ​​a circular economy, where nothing is wasted.

This extraordinary innovation was discovered by thirty-year-old Ari Jonsson, a student at the Reykjavik Academy of Art in Iceland, who invented a completely biodegradable bottle made from material derived from red algae. This innovation could solve the long-standing problem of plastic dumping in the sea . According to a report published at the 2016 World Economic Forum, at least 8 million tons of plastic end up in the sea every year . It's as if a garbage truck were dumping its entire contents into the water non-stop every minute for 365 days. Currently, there are over 150 million tons of plastic in the sea, and the ones who pay the highest price are living and plant species. Numerous fish consume the microparticles of plastic present in the world's seas, starting with the Mediterranean, and they almost always end up on our plates.

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SEAWEED BOTTLES

A plastic bottle takes about a thousand years to decompose. Thanks to Ari Jonsson's project, biodegradable plastic containers, a plastic container performs its function as long as it is in contact with the liquids inside, then begins to rapidly decompose, losing volume until it disappears completely.

The bottle was presented at DesignMarch —a design and architecture festival held in Reykjavik—and received widespread acclaim. Considering that 50% of plastic is used only once and then disposed of, the Icelandic student's bottle is revolutionary . Not only does it avoid releasing toxic substances, it also recycles itself.

The project could represent the first step toward a revolution in beverage packaging. Furthermore, the container would also be edible, being made from a mixture of water and agar-agar. Eating it would eliminate the need for decomposition, and we would have significantly cleaner seas, for the benefit of all.

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