The oceans are choking with plastic waste, from water bottles to plastic shopping bags, so around the world people are learning to get by without single-use plastic.
But imagine if we had plastic containers that,
once you were done with them, disappeared.
A London startup has created something close. The
company Notpla Ltd. has developed a replacement for plastic, made from seaweed
and plants. Imagine runners in a race grabbing small balls of water that they
then bite into to drink. The jelly-like material can also be used for
cocktails or for ketchup and sauce packets at restaurants.
It can even be eaten—a colorful way to turn an evening cocktail
into a snack.
Notpla calls its packaging "bulletproof," since
even if it's littered, it will biodegrade.
The need for replacements to plastic is huge, as are the
potential markets. Cheap and durable, plastic changed the way we did nearly
everything. We used it for bagging groceries, bottling water, and boxing restaurant
take-out food. But its very advantages—cheap and durable—quickly created pollution
problems that will take decades or longer to clean up.
Notpla, which completed a $5 million funding round after an an initial $1
million investment, is seeking new uses for its packaging. It recently partnered with
a company called Just Eat to create seaweed-lined boxes for restaurants. These
boxes are recyclable and can decompose in as little as four weeks.
Vocabulary
Packaging
• container, n. Something that contains products. This is a very general word that can be used for boxes, bags, and most products.
• package, n. Often a box or parcel. Also a verb, to package.
• packaging, n. Material that is used to send or distribute products.
• bag, v. To put into a bag (picture potato chips).
• bottle, v. to put into a bottle.
• box, v. To put into a box.
Business English
• develop, v. To create over time, such a technology, a material, or a plan.
• funding round, n. phr. An investment round that a company uses to raise money from banks, investment firms, or other companies.
• investment, n. Money given to a company to help it grow, often in exchange for some ownership.
• partner, v. To work with another company. As a noun, partner is very common. In business English, the verb is also common (but is jargon).
Environment
• biodegrade, v. To decay or become part of the environment.
• decompose, v. To decay or break up.
• recyclable, adj. Able to be reused.
(C) 2020, by Targets in English. All rights reserved.
