London-based startup Notpla made bags out of edible “plastic”

A London-based startup called Notpla has created plastic-like packaging that takes four to six weeks to biodegrade. This package can even be eaten, writes the Popmech website.

Biodegradable “plastic” consists of seaweed grown in northern France. The algae is dried and ground into a powder and then made into a viscous, thick liquid. When dry, this liquid turns into a plastic substance. “We will make the packaging disappear” – says the slogan on the Notpla website.

In 2015, the company handed out edible drinking water packs at the London Marathon. In October 2019, Notpla created biodegradable packaging for the whiskey maker Glenlivet.

Later in 2020, the company plans to launch another line of disposable food containers that are free of synthetic chemicals, in addition to a waterproof and greaseproof lining.

Their food box will completely decompose in three to six weeks. A typical paper container takes about three months to decompose, and a plastic-lined box can remain in the ground for hundreds of years.

The company, in addition to working on sustainable food and beverage packaging, creates biodegradable clothing and components for furniture assembly.